Fashions Fade, Haunted Is Eternal Page 16

  “What are we looking for?” Minnie asked.

  “Ask Charlotte. It was her idea to come here,” I said.

  “It was not my idea. Besides, you agreed to it quickly,” Charlotte said.

  “So it was your idea,” I said.

  Charlotte waved her hand. “Never mind that. We should head over to the scene of the crime.”

  The ghosts, cats, and I weaved around the old headstones toward the back of the graveyard. The sound of movement caught my attention. I whipped around to see who was behind me. No one was there. Not that I could see anyway. Another ghost? My legs shook so badly that it was hard to walk.

  “Did you see anything?” I whispered.

  Charlotte and Minnie were huddled together. They shook their heads. The cats were together and right behind the ghosts. Talk about scaredy-cats. I turned back around to continue toward the back of the graveyard. A whisper of a cool breeze carried across my skin. It was still hot out. How had the air been cold? I reached the spot where Tyler had been murdered. He stood by my feet. When I looked down at him he meowed.

  “I know you don’t like it here, but we’re trying to figure out who murdered you,” I said.

  “Yes, this is a necessary trip,” Charlotte added.

  Grandma Pearl placed her paw on Tyler’s.

  “That is so sweet,” Minnie said.

  “So do you think someone could have been hiding nearby? Maybe it wasn’t anyone who was at the photo shoot,” I said, looking around the graveyard. “The person was waiting for him to get in a spot that was less noticeable.”

  “By someone do you mean Shanna?” Charlotte quirked an eyebrow.

  “I suppose. She could have lured him to this spot,” I said.

  “That sounds like something she would do,” Minnie said.

  The sun was setting and it was quickly growing dark around us.

  “What about over there?” I pointed.

  “The mausoleum?” Charlotte asked.

  “Yes, that would be a good place to hide.”

  “I suppose it would be a good place to hide,” Charlotte said. “It’s creepy just like Shanna.”

  Everyone followed as I walked around the gravestones over to the concrete structure. Vines of ivy grew up the side with moss covering much of the stone.

  I walked behind it. “The person could have been hiding over here. When they saw Tyler over there talking on his phone the person ran out. Once they’d killed him, I imagine they ran back here.”

  “Where did the person go?” Charlotte asked.

  I peered around. There were trees close by. “I guess they ran over to the trees and hid behind them until they could reach the fence. Next they climbed the fence and disappeared from sight.”

  “Or they could have hidden inside the mausoleum until the coast was clear,” Charlotte said.

  “I feel like they would have been caught that way.”

  “Yes, but what if the police never thought to check in there?” Charlotte raised an eyebrow.

  “I guess they could have missed that,” I said.

  “See, I have good ideas.” Charlotte smiled.

  “I’ll have to ask Dylan if he looked in there. Though it’ll be tough to explain why I’m asking.” I walked around to the entrance of the mausoleum.

  The door had iron bars with an intricate scroll design covering the front.

  “Well, what are you waiting for?” Charlotte pointed.

  “I don’t think this is such a good idea.” Minnie was hiding behind Charlotte.

  After releasing a deep breath, I reached out and grabbed the handle of the iron door cover. A loud groan echoed eerily as I opened the door.

  “That was spooky,” Minnie said, rubbing her arms to fight off the imagined chill.

  “What are you doing?” Charlotte asked.

  “Checking to see if the door is unlocked. If it’s locked we know the person couldn’t have hidden inside here,” I said.

  “Cookie, don’t you dare go in there,” Charlotte ordered. “I’m putting my foot down.”

  “Why would I do something like that? I’m not actually going inside this thing,” I said.

  “Because you do crazy things sometimes, that’s why,” she said. “I don’t know if I can trust you to behave.”

  “Don’t worry. Everything is fine,” I said, dismissing her comment. “And if anyone misbehaves, it’s you.”

  She narrowed her eyes at me as if she didn’t believe a word I said. I reached for the door behind the iron one. When I pushed it slowly opened. The damp earth smell overwhelmed my nostrils. Of course the space was dark.

  “Cookie,” Charlotte whispered.

  “What is it, Charlotte?” I asked.

  Charlotte pointed. “I thought I saw a person over there by the trees.”

  I looked in the direction of her pointing finger. I saw nothing out of the ordinary.

  “I see nothing out of place, Charlotte.”

  “I think you should go check it out,” Charlotte said.

  “We’ll go with you,” Minnie added.

  I suppose it wouldn’t hurt anything if I took a closer look at the area. Maybe I would see something that the police had missed. Wishful thinking, but I’d give it a shot anyway. The ghosts and cats followed me as I made my way to the area that Charlotte had pointed out. The air felt different now. Though it had been spooky before, now it was even creepier.

  The sensation of being watched fell over me. I looked around but saw no one. Why did I feel this way? Was there another ghost? I certainly hoped not. Two plus the haunted cats were all that I could handle at the moment. I especially didn’t want to encounter an evil spirit. Charlotte claimed she saw something. A person in the graveyard at this time of the evening? That was unlikely. Only I was crazy enough to come here at this hour. I reached the area on the edge of the graveyard, but the black iron fence stopped me from going any farther.

  “The person would have had to climb the fence if they left this way,” I said.

  “Maybe they did,” Charlotte said. “Or maybe the person is still in the cemetery. I know I saw someone.”

  The thought sent a chill down my spine. She seemed convinced that she’d seen someone.

  “Even if you did, they’re not here now.” I turned to go back to the spot where Tyler’s body had been found.

  A rustling noise caught my attention. I spun around to see who or what was there. Nothing was there. Yes, I was on edge and every little noise made my anxiety spike. I was letting the spooky surroundings get the better of me. I had to calm down. Or better yet, get out of here.

  “What was that?” I asked.

  “I didn’t see a thing, but I sure heard it,” Charlotte said.

  “I heard it too,” Minnie added.

  Grandma Pearl meowed.

  “Okay, let’s go back,” I said.

  We’d almost reached the area again when another noise caught my attention. I definitely heard something that time.

  “Do you know what it sounded like to me?” Charlotte asked.

  “No, what?” I asked.

  “It sounded like that old iron door on the mausoleum.” Charlotte gestured with a tilt of her head.

  “Maybe it was the wind,” Minnie said.

  “Nevertheless, I think you should check it out,” Charlotte said.

  I suppose it was worth a look, although I assumed it was just the wind too. When I reached the mausoleum, I realized that the door was open. I thought I’d pulled it shut when I walked away. I stopped in my tracks.

  “That door wasn’t open before,” Charlotte whispered.

  “No, it wasn’t open.” Now my anxiety spiked.

  Chapter 21

  Cookie’s Savvy Tips for Vintage Clothing Shopping

  Add cute pieces like swimsuits

  to your vintage collection.

  Retro sunglasses are also a great way

  to wear vintage every day.

  Now it was up to me to close the door again. I inched closer
to the open door. My heart beat faster and it was even more difficult to breathe. Don’t have a panic attack, I reminded myself. It was probably too late for that. The ghosts and cats crept along beside me. Did we think we’d sneak up on whatever was in that mausoleum? I hoped nothing was in there. Maybe Minnie was right and it was just the wind that had blown the door open. Nevertheless, I was about to find out. When I reached the door, I paused. Just as before it was dark inside. Even darker than before. I couldn’t see a thing. I pulled out my phone and turned on the light. That cast an ominous glow around the space.

  “What did you say?” I looked at Charlotte.

  Her eyes widened. “I didn’t say a thing. Maybe you imagined it. Oh great, now you’re having hallucinations.”

  “I thought I heard a whisper,” Minnie said.

  “See, it wasn’t just me who heard it.” I moved the light around the space.

  “Maybe someone is calling for you,” Charlotte said.

  “Stop trying to scare me, Charlotte,” I said.

  “Yes, don’t scare us. I’m already terrified enough,” Minnie said.

  I leaned in closer and shone the light farther inside the room. Cobwebs, old leaves, and probably creatures I didn’t even want to know existed adorned the space like Halloween decorations.

  “Cookie, I thought you said you weren’t going inside there,” Charlotte said.

  “I’m not. Just looking for the source of the noise, that’s all,” I said.

  “She’s too inquisitive for her own good,” Minnie said.

  The next thing I knew I fell forward, landing on the concrete floor. I’d been pushed so hard that I tumbled all the way inside the dank and dark space. The door slammed shut.

  “Cookie, are you all right?” Charlotte asked in a panic.

  “Oh, Cookie, how could I let you get hurt like that? Are you okay? I knew I shouldn’t let you get too close.” Minnie’s voice was at an all-time high pitch.

  Feeling around on the damp concrete, I managed to retrieve my phone that had been knocked out of my hand during the fall. I scrambled to my feet. At least I hadn’t lost my phone. I clutched it even tighter in my hand now. The meowing from the cats echoed from the other side of the door. Minnie and Charlotte were with me in the dark and spooky space. One thing was for sure. There was no way that I fell forward on my own. I’d felt someone’s hand on my back. Someone had shoved me into this place. Panic surged through me now. Feeling my way over to the door, I pushed on it, but it didn’t budge.

  “I can’t breathe,” I said.

  “Don’t panic,” Charlotte said.

  “That’s easy for you to say. You can get out of here.” I shoved on the door again. “Someone pushed me inside here. Did you see who it was?”

  “No, I was watching you,” Charlotte said in a raised voice.

  “What about you, Minnie?” I asked.

  “I watched you too,” Minnie said.

  “How will I get out of here?”

  Charlotte gestured toward my phone. “How about you call for help?”

  “Oh yeah.” I touched the phone’s screen. “There’s no service. Why in this day and age do we not have service? It’s not 1996.”

  “Well, you are in a concrete box,” Charlotte said.

  “Thanks for reminding me,” I said. “The space is definitely getting smaller. I can feel it closing in on me.”

  “Calm down, Cookie. You’re going to hyperventilate,” Charlotte said.

  “Can you blame me?” I asked. “You’re right. I have to stay calm. Panicking will get me nowhere.”

  I attempted to inhale a deep breath, but it was difficult to catch my breath. It felt as if there wasn’t enough air.

  “Just take a few deep breaths and you’ll feel better,” Minnie said.

  “That’s what I’m trying to do.” Finally, I was able to inhale and exhale a few times.

  “There. Now don’t you feel better?” Charlotte asked.

  “Not at all,” I said.

  “Cookie is terrible under high-stress situations,” Charlotte said.

  She acted as if this was no big deal. I was essentially buried alive. No one would ever find me here.

  I pounded against the door with my fists. The action made no sound. Only my yelling echoed through the chamber. I had no idea if anyone outside could hear me. Now my hands hurt from pounding and it did nothing to free me from this vault. It looked as if my fate was sealed.

  “Let me out of here,” I screamed again.

  “Maybe your grandmother will go for help. She can get Dylan,” Minnie said.

  I looked at Minnie. “Oh, that’s a good point.” I released a deep breath. “That makes me feel better.”

  “Oh sure, what she says helps. What I say you ignore,” Charlotte said, tossing her hands up.

  A scuffling sound came from somewhere behind me. I screamed and pushed my back against the door. Charlotte and Minnie screeched and stood beside me against the wall. I shone the light in the area where I thought I’d heard the noise. At first I saw nothing, but next it moved. I screamed again, which caused the ghosts to scream. A hissing came from the area and I knew I was in big trouble.

  “What is it now? I didn’t hear anything,” Charlotte said, clutching her chest.

  I pointed across the space. “There’s a snake.”

  “Let me out of here,” Charlotte screamed.

  So much for Charlotte remaining calm. She was currently flipping out. She tried to pound against the door, but her hands went right through the stone. Minnie remained quiet. At least she was keeping it together.

  “Charlotte, you do realize that you can go outside any time you want? I’m the one who’s trapped in here. Not to mention you’re a ghost and the snake can’t kill you.”

  “Oh . . . I forgot. This is your fault, Cookie, for causing such panic,” Charlotte said.

  “My fault? You got me into this, Charlotte Meadows, and you’d better find a way to get me out of it.” I pumped my fist at her.

  Charlotte’s eyes widened. “Well, I’ve never.”

  “You’d better start,” I said.

  “Ladies, please don’t argue.” Minnie held her hands up, signaling for us to stop.

  I released a deep breath. “Sorry, Charlotte, I guess I’m just panicking too.”

  “Well, I’m sorry too, Cookie,” she said.

  “Now that you all made up, what about that?” Minnie pointed at the snake.

  “What if the snake is poisonous?” I asked.

  “At least you’d know what being a ghost is like,” Charlotte said.

  “You’re not helping.”

  “Just preparing you, that’s all,” she said.

  “What if the person who pushed me in here also left the snake?” I kept my light pointed at the creature.

  So far it hadn’t moved, but I was certain it was planning its attack. Would someone have plotted to get me in here and trap me with the snake? Had the person followed me to the graveyard? That was a terrifying thought that sent a shiver down my spine.

  “It’s a distinct possibility that someone did this on purpose,” Charlotte said.

  I couldn’t wait around and hope that someone saved me. I had to attempt to escape this tomb. If I took the light off the snake would it make its move? That was the chance I’d have to take. Facing the door again, I pounded against it. It wasn’t budging, as if someone was holding the other side.

  “You’re going to break every bone in your hands if you keep doing that,” Charlotte said.

  “Charlotte, will you go out there and see if someone is against the door? Maybe they locked it?”

  “Gladly,” Charlotte said before disappearing out of the space.

  I wasn’t sure why Charlotte had stayed inside with me for as long as she had. That was what friends did for each other. We might bicker a lot, but I could always count on Charlotte. Thank goodness Minnie stayed with me now. I didn’t want to be alone. A couple seconds went by, but it felt like an eternity.
>
  “What is Charlotte doing out there?” I asked.

  “Charlotte is right beside you,” Charlotte said in my ear. “No one is out there.”

  I screamed and clutched my chest. Minnie and Charlotte echoed my shriek.

  “Will you please not do that?” Charlotte fanned herself. “I can’t handle it.”

  “You’re the one who popped up in my ear. Are you trying to give me a heart attack? I thought you were outside. What did you see?”

  “I came back in to tell you,” Charlotte said. “No one was out there.”

  “The person must have run away when they pushed you,” Minnie said.

  I shone the light toward the back on the snake again. It wasn’t there. “Oh no, the snake is gone. Where is it?”

  Charlotte looked over her shoulder. “Please don’t let it attack.”

  “This is scary. I’ve definitely let you down,” Minnie said.

  “Minnie, what are you blathering on about? This is no time for chitchat,” Charlotte said.

  I moved the light across the dark space. Light pooled along the stone floor. My worst fear had come true. The snake had moved closer to me.

  “That thing is poisonous.” Charlotte’s words had never sounded so terrifying.

  That was the last thing I wanted to hear. It wasn’t as if I could move farther away. My back was already pressed against the door. There was nowhere to go.

  “What did you see out there, Charlotte? Are you sure no one was holding the door? I have to get out of here.”

  “There’s no one against the door. I don’t see why it’s stuck,” Charlotte said with her eyes still focused on the snake.

  “I have to get out of here.” Panic overtook my body and my arms shook.

  The light from my phone wobbled up and down like a light show as my arms moved.

  “Cookie, calm down before you pass out in here,” Charlotte yelled.

  There was no way I was giving up this easily. I had to use all my strength and give this one last shot. Turning around toward the door, I peeked over at the snake. It had slithered even closer to me. This was it. The thing was going to bite me soon. I had to get out of there before it was too late. As much as I could without getting into the snake’s path, I moved back a few steps.