McCann's Manor (41 page)

"Yes, in a way they do. See, a spirit is used to being undetected by most people most of the time,” Kim said. “When someone new arrives in their domain, they do little things to see if the person is sensitive to their presence."

"In a manner of speaking, they want to know what they can get by with,” Liz added. “In the majority of instances, most of the little things they do would go unnoticed by anyone who wasn't sensitive to the spirit world. I might have just assumed I was hearing things, for example and never paid any attention to the sound of the slat being moved, had I been the average person. By responding to the sound and actually reacting to it, I let the spirit know I was aware of its presence."

"Sometimes all they want is to know someone out there can still respond to them.” Kim said.

"And sometimes, they have something they want to tell you, but first they have to know you can hear them, should they try to communicate with you,” Liz added. “Most ghosts don't actually appear to you, but they can still communicate with you."

"For the most part, they only put in an appearance when they have a very strong need to
know
beyond any doubt you understand what they're saying to you,” Kim said. “But sometimes they materialize to frighten you, or as a show of power, because it does take a great deal of supernatural strength to materialize."

"Either that, or a great deal of practice on the part of the spirit,” Liz said.

"So, what's the scariest thing that ever happened between you and a ghost, before you came here, that is?” Mark asked.

Liz smiled, “You don't really want to know that, do you? I mean, if I tell you something really scary and you do have to spend the night here, are you sure you could handle it?"

He frowned, shrugged. “I don't know. I just thought it might prove to be interesting conversation."

Kim grinned mischievously, cocked her head to the side. “Have
you
ever had any experiences with ghosts?"

"No,” he said flatly.

"No? What about spooky things you couldn't explain?” Liz pushed.

Mark thought a minute, then shook his head blankly. “I can't think of anything at all."

"There must be
something
. Doctors have occasion to see a lot of potentially spooky things. Are you sure there's nothing that comes to mind?” Liz prodded.

Mark fidgeted in his pockets a minute, looked at the floor. “Well, I have seen some spooky things, but I don't think they had anything to do with ghosts."

"Tell us!” Sondra encouraged.

He rubbed his neck, paced uneasily from one end of the sofa to the other. “Well, I saw a UFO once, but that doesn't have anything to do with ghosts."

"Are you sure? Maybe it does. Tell us what you saw,” Kim said.

He sighed heavily, dropped into a chair by the sofa. “I was driving home late from a class I had been teaching in San Antonio. Some of us went out to eat after the class and lingered on to visit, It was probably almost two in the morning by the time I headed out. I should have stayed over, I guess, but I had an appointment early the next morning and I would rather stay up late driving home than have to rush to make sure I was there in time the next day."

"Yeah, that makes sense to me,” Liz said. “Please, go on."

"The road was absolutely deserted and I was just driving along listening to a CD and feeling like I must be the only person awake on this side of the planet. Everything was very peaceful,” he stopped, sighed, then continued. “I love it when it's quiet like that. Anyway, I was driving along and all of a sudden there was this big orange light in the sky, coming right at me!"

"Ooh!” Sondra said, shivering. “That
is
scary! What happened then?"

Mark shook himself back to the present, took another deep breath and continued, “I pulled over. I thought I was imagining things or that someone had slipped something into my drink. When I stopped, the light stopped as well and just sat there hovering in front of me."

"Is that all you saw, just a light?” Liz asked.

Mark nodded, “It was about as big as the full moon that night, only it was closer—it was a
lot
closer and it just stayed there, hovering about 100 yards in front of the car, like it was sizing me up or just waiting to see what I was going to do."

"And what
did
you do?” Kim asked.

Mark shrugged, said, “Nothing. I just sat there staring back at it. I don't know exactly how much time passed, but the next thing I knew the sun was coming up and I was still sitting there, like I was tethered to the spot or something. I was still staring at the sky, but nothing was there. I was so shaken by the whole thing I couldn't bring myself to start the car. I just sat there, trembling like a scared rabbit or something. It was totally humiliating. I couldn't bring myself to drive the car or anything. I had to call a buddy of mine to come out and drive me home. Then I couldn't go to work for almost a week because I got this gosh-awful flu; had to cancel all my appointments."

"You're right,” Liz said at length, “that experience probably didn't have anything to do with ghosts, although it might."

"Have you ever seen a UFO?” Mark asked her.

Liz nodded. “I've seen several, though I've never seen one of those orange-lighted ones. I have wondered, though, if maybe they don't change the color of their lights depending on whom they're contacting and what the purpose of the contact is."

He studied her face for some time before commenting. “Damn, Lady! Do extraterrestrials gravitate to you, like the ghosts do? You have seen
several
UFOs? Didn't it scare you?"

Liz smiled, shook her head, patting him on the shoulder. “Don't take it so hard. I began seeing
weird
things when I was just a child. I got used to it to the point if I was ever scared by it, I simply don't remember."

"That's reassuring, isn't it? What about you, Kim? Do you just expect to see strange things everywhere you go?” he asked.

Kim nodded. “Something like that, I suppose. It does take a bit of getting used to, but once you do get used to it, it's not so bad."

Mark stood, headed for the kitchen. “I see. Well, I think I will go see what's up with John and the caterers. Please excuse me!"

Sondra watched Mark stomp from the room, then turned her wide eyes on Kim and Liz. “Wow! He really freaked himself out, didn't he?"

"Hmm,” Liz said. “Who would have ever thought it?"

"I know,” Sondra agreed. “He just doesn't seem the type, does he?"

"So what about you, young lady?” Liz asked at last, “seen any ghosts or other weird things?"

Sondra grinned, ducked her head and replied, “No, the scariest thing I've ever seen is rush hour on the L.A. freeway."

Kim laughed heartily, “that's probably scarier than most of the ghost stories we could tell you."

"I'll say,” Liz agreed. “Have you lived in Los Angeles all your life?"

"Mother is an actress and never leaves the city unless she's filming on location, so I grew up
near
there, most of the time, anyway,” Sondra answered.

"I see,” Kim said. “Have you lived with her all your life?"

Sondra shrugged and replied, “Not at all. I lived in a boarding school in Monterrey and spent summers with my father when I was younger; then I went to prep school, abroad to college and on to acting school. I've been living with my mom for a couple of years now. Until recently, she never wanted her fans to know she was a mother. Now it's suddenly
fashionable
to her to have a daughter who has followed in her footsteps, so to speak."

"Sounds like you and your mom aren't very close,” Liz surmised.

"No, we aren't, really; at least not nearly as close as Dad and I are. He came to see me every weekend at the boarding school, unless he was off somewhere making a movie. The only time I ever saw her was on my birthday and Christmas. She was always too busy being the glamor queen,” Sondra shared in a matter-of-fact tone.

Liz said, “I hardly know what to say. I apologize for prying."

"Oh, no, I didn't think you were prying at all. I've learned to live with my mother's vanity, Liz. She thought the only way to succeed in the long haul was to stay forever young and to her, being young meant being unencumbered by children."

Liz pursed her lips, nodded thoughtfully. “I can't understand that very well, I guess, but I'm glad you do."

Sondra gave her a warm smile. “You have children?"

Liz smiled proudly, “Yes, one of each. They're both grown now and my daughter and her husband just had their first baby."

"You're kidding me!
You
have a grand baby?” Sondra asked.

"Yes and there's nothing that makes me any happier than being a grandma!” Liz said.

"That's the truth,” Kim agreed. “She's almost like a child herself when that little one is around."

"That's so great. You always embraced your motherhood, didn't you?” Sondra asked.

"Oh, yes, I did. I considered it a very great privilege to have children, Sondra. Motherhood is the best teacher one can have in life,” Liz said.

"Thanks, I'll remember that, Liz. What about you, Kim? How many kids do you have?"

Kim shook her head, “Well, I
had
two; I was married to them."

Sondra laughed, “I'll have to remember that, too! That's really good. I've heard that about men."

Kim arched an eyebrow, smiled, “Well, it's true, at least about a whole lot of them. Never doubt it for a minute."

"Never doubt what?” John asked as he walked back into the room.

"Just girl talk, Dad,” Sondra said with a broad grin.

"Girl talk, is it? Cause for a red flag if ever there was one,” John said.

"Why do you say that?” Mark asked as he followed John back into the room, a dinner roll in his hand.

"You know what girl talk is all about, don't you? Guys! And when girls talk about guys, there is usually going to be big trouble for the guys!” John said.

"Gosh, John,” Liz said, “is that
really
what you think of us?"

"Oh, of course not, Liz. But generally whenever three or more females are gathered, males should beware!” he said.

"Confess, John! What is it that has you feeling so guilty?” Kim asked.

"Me? I don't feel guilty,” he protested. “Okay, maybe I do feel a little guilty. I just spoke to Sam Reynolds because the caterers need to get home, and he's coming in his chopper to take them and us—Mark, Sondra and me—out of here."

"I thought we were going to stay here,” Sondra objected.

"Things have changed and Mark has to get back to town for one of his patients; I really should check on the house,” John said uneasily.

"But what about Kim and Liz? Are you just going to leave them here with no phone or electricity?” Sondra demanded.

"There isn't enough room in the chopper to take more than five people, especially with the catering equipment,” John explained.

"But Dad, someone should stay here with Liz and Kim, at least until the electricity and phone are back on. Suppose they need something?"

"Sondra,” Liz said, “we'll be fine. We have candles and cell phones and we're accustomed to being here alone. It's no big deal."

"We could send Sam back for you. It
is
Halloween, after all,” Mark suggested.

Liz shook her head firmly. “Don't be silly. There's no need to worry about us. You have business to take care of, Sam might need to rescue someone who really has an emergency. He shouldn't be running back and forth over here all night."

John looked at Liz uncomfortably, shifted his weight and looked at the floor. “I'll call you tomorrow on the cell. Sounds like the chopper now. Sondra, get your things together."

Sondra hugged Liz and Kim and shrugged helplessly. “Well, thanks for the party. I'm sorry we didn't have more time to visit."

"Promise you'll come see us next time you're here,” Kim said.

"I wouldn't miss it!” Sondra said.

John gave Kim a quick hug then took Liz's hand and planted a kiss on her cheek. “I'm sorry, Liz. I didn't intend to just run off like this."

Liz looked into his eyes a moment, smiled coolly as she backed a step away from him. She knew John well enough to know something had spooked him; he wasn't leaving because Mark had a patient to attend and the caterers needed to go home. John was leaving because something had frightened him. Had Missy put in an appearance? “You do what you need to do, John."

"I have decided to join Sondra when she goes to Miami tomorrow. I'll be gone a couple of weeks. The change of scenery will do me good,” he said abruptly, as though he had to get the words out before he choked on them. Sondra was obviously startled by her father's announcement of his intent to accompany her to Florida, but she said nothing. “I'll call you before I leave."

"Oh, you needn't bother,” Liz said flatly. “You'll be busy with preparations to leave, especially if your house is flooded. I suppose, though, that you'll simply hire someone to take care of it for you while you're gone."

"Liz, don't be angry with me,” he pleaded as he reached for her hand again.

"Angry?” she asked, taking another step away from him. “Why should I be angry, John? You don't have to have my permission to leave, or to do
anything
, for that matter. Have a nice trip. Sondra, dear, it was so nice to meet you; please do come again.” Having dismissed John to her satisfaction, she put her arm around Sondra and walked her toward the door. “It's too bad about the storm and all. We'd have had a fine time if you'd been able to stay."

Sondra smiled at Liz, shot a glance back over her shoulder at her father who was following with Kim and Mark. “I know we would have. Next time, we'll just have an all girl party and sit up all night swapping stories."

Liz nodded, smiled. “That sounds good. I'll look forward to it. You have a safe trip to Florida and don't give this hasty departure a second thought. Everything happens for a reason, you know."

"I feel like I've known you and Kim forever and I hate that I have to leave tomorrow, but I have to be on location bright and early the next day, so I don't really have much of a choice. Goodbye and thanks for a lovely evening,” Sondra said as she went out the door.