Walk in My Haunted Shoes Read online

  As I stepped into the coffee shop the smell of coffee surrounded me. I tried to keep my gaze off the pastries and focused on just the coffee. Of course, when Dana saw me, she immediately started to grab a chocolate croissant from the case.

  I held my hand up. “No can do this morning, Dana.”

  She stopped with the croissant mid-air. “What do you mean no croissant? Is something wrong? Are you sick?”

  “I’m not sick,” I said.

  “Did the ghost come back?” she asked with fear in her voice.

  “No. nothing like that. It’s just that I’m trying to be good.”

  “As much as you walk, I think you need the calories,” she said with a laugh.

  “Maybe so, but I’ll just get the coffee today.”

  “All right, if you say so,” she said with a shrug. “You’ll probably regret it later.”

  “I probably will,” I said. “So nothing else happened last night?”

  “Thankfully no, everything’s been quiet and peaceful. I really think what you did worked.” Dana handed me the cup.

  “I hope so,” I said.

  I knew I had a lack of confidence, but it was for good reason.

  “You are fantastic at what you do,” Dana said.

  “Well, let me know if anything happens today and I will help as soon as possible. Right now, I better get to the library.”

  “I’ll let you know,” she said with a wave of her hand. “Just be careful out there with all those ghosts.”

  A few people in the coffee shop gave us strange looks when she said that, but I was used to it.

  “Have a nice day,” I said.

  I stepped out of the coffee shop and headed down the sidewalk toward the library. I passed by the tavern but of course it was closed right now. I would be there later this evening when I picked up the flashlights.

  The large Victorian Gothic-style building that housed the library came into view, looming over the entire area. It was such a beautiful stone and brick structure with three stories and lots of rivets and gables with a tower set in the center of the structure. A steeply pitched roof topped it off with ornamental gables adding a decorative touch. The big wide wooden doors led into the marble-floored vestibule. The building had an air of sadness, as if weeping from the bricks, tears from the mortar.

  There was one other thing about the library though—a graveyard was right out front. See, I told you this town was spooky. Even though I passed it every day, it still made my skin tingle and my heart thump a little faster. It always felt as if someone was watching me. The graveyard had been there before the library had been built. The man who had donated the money for the library to be built was buried there. Plus, so was the first librarian. She was the one who talked to me by using electronics. And she liked to chat via text message, Twitter, Facebook or any means possible. Annie Gibson was a very special ghost.

  She was the librarian when Bilson Library first opened. When I first heard rumors that she roamed the shelves, looking for the books that people had shelved incorrectly, I hadn’t believed it. When I came face to face with her though, I instantly changed my mind. She’d come a long way since my first days at the library. Now she liked to post on the library’s Twitter account. She totally embraced modern technology.

  Maybe the graveyard out front was the reason the library was so haunted, although a demonologist I knew said the building also held a portal to the other side. Kind of like the abandoned building I’d been in last night. This place didn’t feel nearly as sinister, although occasionally an evil spirit would find its way into the library. Right now, it seemed as if we were free of evil spirits and I hoped it stayed that way.

  Picking up my pace, I walked by the graveyard. When I glanced over, I had to admit I got a spooky feeling—a chill that ran down my spine. It didn’t always have that effect on me, but today it certainly felt strange. Maybe my mind was still on what had happened last night. I pushed forward to the front doors, taking out my keys and opening the doors. No need to be spooked now. It was a bright sunny day. Nothing to be scared of.

  When I entered the main room of the library, I smiled and inhaled the smell of books. The warmth from the inside of the library made me feel as if I was embraced in a giant hug, even with the ghostly activity that took place all too often. This building full of words made my heart happy. On the left were rows of tables with green and brass lamps placed on top that gave off a soft yellow glow. Each table had six chairs were people could sit and read.

  The rest of the space was full of shelves of books extending as far as my eyes could see. These were the mystery, reference, and other sections. To my right was the romance and other categories. There was also a reference desk in the middle of the room. Beyond that was the computers and then down the long hallway was my office. Yes, I even had my own space.

  A grand oak balustrade staircase, polished and gleaming sat proudly in the center of the room. The massive front windows had stained glass on the upper sections that cast streaks of yellow, blue, and red around the room like a kaleidoscope. Conference rooms and the children’s reading room were upstairs, plus more books.

  I flipped on the lights as soon as I entered the library. Light flooded the large space. I stood there for a second and just soaked in the aroma of books. The sight of aisles and aisles of books held a beauty that never got old. This building was absolutely stunning, and the books only added to that.

  I moved over to the reference desk to put away my things and get straight to work. Tammy and the other assistants would be here soon enough. Before long the patrons would come, and my day would start. But just as I’d gotten behind the desk my phone alerted me to a text message. I assumed this was Annie. I checked the screen. Yes, I was right.

  Good morning.

  I peered around but there was no sign of Annie. She didn’t always show herself when she sent a message.

  “Good morning, Annie,” I said with a smile.

  Just then a black streak jumped in front of me. I screamed out. “Oh, Jane Austen, you scared me.”

  A furry resident lived at the library as well. A stray black cat had come in one day and then never left. The library was now her home. Sometimes she liked to come home with me or Tammy. Mostly she liked to stay at the library with Annie.

  Still no sign of Annie and she hadn’t sent another text. What was she up to?

  Chapter 4

  I went through my routine of putting food and water out for Jane Austen and then gathered the books from the return. A few seconds later, Tammy strolled through the door.

  “Good morning,” she said with a big wave.

  Today Tammy’s hair was blonde. She liked to change it a lot. Of course, she worked at the salon too, so a frequent switch in hairstyles was no surprise. She wore a black form-fitted skirt with a black and white polka dot silk blouse and tall black boots. Effortlessly chic was Tammy’s style. I often asked her when she was going to slow down with all this work, and she told me that she would stop when she stopped having fun doing it. I just hoped that one of the jobs she quit wasn’t the library. I needed her here.

  I followed Tammy over to the reference desk.

  “I didn’t hear from you last night. What happened?” Tammy asked.

  “Oh, you know, the usual spooky building. Nothing much.” I busied myself with checking in a copy of one of Rose Pressey’s mysteries.

  I never told Tammy all the paranormal stuff that happened because it would freak her out too much. She hated all the spookiness around town. Yet I knew she’d never move away.

  She raised an eyebrow. “Are you being honest?”

  “I’m being truthful. Just a spooky building. What else?” I moved on to the next book on the pile.

  Tammy sensed that I was withholding info from her. I just knew it. She could sniff out my lies like a bloodhound. I was only keeping it from her for her own good though.

  “I just hope you didn’t bring a ghost back with you.” Tammy peered around as if she
might spot something.

  “Of course not,” I said, trying to hide the uneasiness in my voice.

  I hoped I hadn’t brought a ghost back with me too. It wouldn’t be the first time that one had latched on to me.

  “I’ll be at my office if you need me,” I said with a wave.

  As I moved away from the reference desk, I felt Tammy’s stare on my back. At least I hoped it was her stare. Maybe it was another ghost visiting the library. She sensed my uneasiness. Regardless, I wouldn’t admit to her what had happened. She’d never get it out of me. I headed down the long, dark hallway. The old overhead lights flickered. A couple of them had stopped working. Maintenance was supposed to fit them months ago. Yes, this was one of the spookier parts of the building. Nevertheless, I pushed the scary thoughts to the back of my mind so that I could just enjoy the fact that I had my own office. I still hadn’t gotten used to the fact that I was in charge of this whole building. It was a thrill every single day. And also, a bit terrifying at the same time.

  The walls of my office had been a bland off-white color when I’d first started at the library. However, one evening Tammy and I had painted them a lovely shade of pale yellow. I believe the exact color name was lemon twist. The space had been a disheveled mess when I’d taken over, but now everything was neat and tidy. Everything had a place. An oak credenza sat against the right wall, more file cabinets on the left and my large oak desk at the center of the room toward the back. The space wasn’t large, but it was just enough for me. Plus, the somewhat tight quarters felt cozy.

  I’d just sat down at my desk and turned on my computer when a noise sounded from somewhere in the room. I looked around the room but saw nothing out of the ordinary. My gaze fell to the portrait of the former librarian that still hung on the wall. Her eyes seemed to follow me everywhere I moved around the room.

  “Annie, is that you?” I asked.

  I received no electronic communication. I just hoped it hadn’t been a mouse. No one had knocked at the door either. I turned my attention back to the screen, hoping that I had no paranormal activity in the room. It had been quiet for quite some time around the library and I was enjoying the peacefulness. Now if only it would stay that way.

  The noise sounded again and when I looked to my left, I spotted a pencil as it rolled across my desk. My eyes widened but I didn’t move an inch. I continued to watch the thing as it rolled to the edge and then right off onto the floor. It moved all the way across the floor until it hit the wall.

  I looked around the room as if somehow I might see the unseen hand that had been responsible for this. Maybe there had been an earthquake, though nothing else had been moved. However, a slight vibration in the floor would cause something like this. Yes, that had to be it. I didn’t want to jump to the conclusion that it was paranormal right away. I’d always looked for other logical explanations and this time would be no different.

  I picked up the pencil and placed it back on the desk in the same spot where it had been before. The pencil didn’t move. I shook the desk a little bit. The pencil still didn’t budge. I jumped up and down, but the pencil’s position remained the same. If someone looked in my office right now, they would wonder what in the world I was doing and if I’d lost my mind. Another unexplained event on the list of many at Bilson Library. What would happen next?

  Chapter 5

  When a knock came at the door, I jumped. The door eased open just a bit. Thank goodness a living person was responsible for this action though.

  I clutched my chest. “Oh, Tammy, you scared me.”

  She grimaced. “Sorry.”

  I wouldn’t let her know that there had been a spooky experience in my office. She had been enjoying the non-paranormal activities around the library. No need to worry her over just a little thing.

  “There’s someone here to see you,” she said.

  “Oh, really? I don’t have an appointment for today.” I glanced down at the open calendar on my desk.

  “I don’t know who this person is,” she said.

  “Man or woman?” I asked.

  “A man,” she said. “He’s wearing a suit. Maybe he’s a salesman.”

  “I’ll be right there,” I said, pushing to my feet.

  She smiled and stepped out of the office.

  Once at the door, I gave one last glance around at the office. All was quiet. I hurried out of the room and down the hallway. Maybe it was best that I had a distraction at the moment, even if the man wanted to sell me something that the library probably didn’t even need. I spotted the man standing by the reference desk. The tall man had his long dark hair pulled back into a ponytail. He wore a black suit, white shirt and blue striped tie. I’d never seen this man before. Now I was even more convinced that he was selling something. He stared around the room and hadn’t noticed that I’d walked up.

  I stepped up to the reference desk and smiled. “May I help you?”

  He whipped around and our eyes met. “Are you Ripley Van Raden?”

  “Yes, that’s me,” I said.

  “My name is Darren Damon. I’m sorry for just dropping in like this.” He grinned.

  “That’s okay. What can I do for you?” I asked.

  I wanted to get right down to business. Why, I wasn’t sure. I probably wanted to avoid going back to my office for a bit.

  “I wanted to speak with you about doing a feature on the library in a magazine.” His blue eyes remained focused on my face.

  “Oh,” I said with a bit of excitement in my voice. “That sounds exciting. Which magazine is this?”

  He looked around the room. Tammy shifted her attention to the computer screen, but I knew she was listening. Why was he acting strangely now?

  “Paranormal Monthly,” he said.

  As soon as the word ‘paranormal’ left his mouth, I knew that the library board probably wouldn’t approve of this. It would be good exposure for the library, right? However, they wouldn’t like the paranormal part of it. And perhaps upon further thought, I wouldn’t either.

  I wanted people to come to the library for the books and not the ghosts. No offense to Annie. I was sure she would agree with me. The haunted tour was for the ghosts and the library was to celebrate all the beautiful words within these walls. I hated to be rude and tell him no right away. Therefore, I’d listen to what he had to say before telling him no.

  “Why don’t we have a seat over here at the table and you can tell me a little about the magazine,” I said, gesturing toward the tables at the center of the room.

  Darren nodded and followed me. When I glanced over, I spotted Tammy watching intently. She’d want to know every detail as soon as he left. Annie watched from the computer section. She had taken a seat on top of one of the tables. The young man at the computer next to her had no idea of her ghostly presence.

  Darren and I moved over to the table in the middle of the room. He sat across from me. I put my back to the book stacks and watched the entrance of the library. I liked to keep my eyes focused on what was going on in the entrance. It was just one of my quirks, I supposed.

  “So Darren, why don’t you tell me about your magazine? It’s paranormal, of course, but is there anything else I need to know? Anything new?” I laughed.

  He chuckled. “Yes, of course, it’s all aspects of the paranormal now. Not just hauntings, but demons, UFOs, Bigfoot, we cover it all. This issue would be haunted public locations. What better place for the cover than Bilson Library?”

  “Yes, what better place,” I said, still worried about placing that much focus on the library.

  “I’ve heard so much about the library being haunted that I would love to feature it. I know you’re involved a lot in the paranormal as well with your haunted tour. I would love to feature you as well.”

  Oh, no. Now this was even worse.

  Chapter 6

  This would be great promotion for my tour, and I would love that, but having the head librarian featured wouldn’t make the library board
happy. Maybe I could convince the library board that it would be more about me than the library and they would be okay with that. Though having me in the magazine would be bad enough.

  “The way you deal with the paranormal is impressive,” Darren said.

  “Thank you,” I said with a bashful smile.

  I always got embarrassed a bit with compliments.

  “You could tell us about the tour and then recount maybe a couple of your haunted experiences. I am sure you have a bunch of stories to share.”

  I nodded. “I have quite a few.”

  He pulled a magazine from his bag. “Here’s a copy so you can see what it’s like. Have you ever read our magazine?”

  “Yes, I’ve seen a copy before.” I took the magazine.

  I hated to admit that I didn’t have a subscription. I’d bought a copy at the bookstore in Nashville once. I took the glossy magazine from him. It was a well-put-together publication. Lots of great photos and well-written articles.

  “It’s very nice,” I said.

  “Thank you,” Darren said. “We’d love to even have you on the cover.”

  A magazine cover? This guy really knew how to get me to say yes. Did I really want to be on the cover? It would be great for my tour.

  “So this is more about me than the library?”

  “Well, I suppose, yes, it is more about you, but the library definitely has a part in it.” Darren stared at something behind me.

  I glanced over my shoulder but saw nothing out of the ordinary. He didn’t mention what he’d been looking at and now his attention was focused on me again.

  “That’s probably for the best,” I said.

  He smiled. “I’m glad you like it.”

  “It’s just that the library board probably wouldn’t want the library as the main feature. It’ll take some talking to get me to convince them to even allow it a little bit. They don’t like to focus on the paranormal part of the building that much.”