Town Haunts (17 page)

“Wonder where
Tiernay does the human sacrifices?” Anna asked.

Erna shook her
head. “Don’t do anything to antagonize her,” she said, taking a
seat in the middle of the couch.

Anna sat down
beside her, folding her hands in her lap. “I’ll be on my best
behaviour.”

They heard
footsteps coming down the stairs, and Tiernay entered the room with
Greg right behind her. She paused to fold her arms over her chest,
gazing down at them with a haughty expression as Greg sidled past
and sat in the rocking chair.

“Ladies,”
Tiernay said with a nod. “You wanted to see me?”

Erna gestured
at the couch. “Please sit beside me.”

Tiernay sat
down and crossed her legs, her long skirt falling open to display
two bare legs tucked into thigh-high leather boots.

“We have a
situation that needs your help,” Erna began. “We need you to
prevent Evelyn’s ghost from breaking into my house.”

On hearing Anna’s story and
a description of what had befallen May, Tiernay became all
business, insisting on following the women back to Erna’s house in
her car. She showed up thirty minutes later, and spent the next
hour burning candles and herbs while strolling around the house
mumbling warding incantations. She also brought the stones she had
given to the women on the night of the séance, insisting that they
keep them on their persons until the trouble with Evelyn was
resolved.

“We’re going to
have to hold another séance,” she declared, sitting on the recliner
sipping green tea while Erna sat on a dining room chair and Anna
sat on the floor. May, still on the sofa, had kept a respectful
silence during these proceedings, but now she piped up.

“Where?”

“In the
graveyard.”

“I’d hoped you
weren’t serious when you suggested that before,” Anna exclaimed. It
seemed like such a cheesy cliché, holding a séance in a graveyard.
But then she remembered not to antagonize Tiernay, and pretended to
look concerned instead.

“Well, I was,”
Tiernay said, returning her cup and saucer to the coffee table.
“I’m not going to take a chance on Evelyn possessing me in her
house again. We’re going to summon her spirit this time, and the
graveyard is the ideal place for that. Not only will we be invading
her resting place, but I’ll have the forces of nature around me to
draw upon with you ladies amplifying my powers. Maybe you can
arrange a wheel chair for May,” she added, studying the older woman
as she lay upon the couch. “She won’t be able to stand on crutches
for long enough.”

May shrugged.
“Shouldn’t be a problem. I know someone I can borrow a chair
from.”

“I’ll ask Greg
to join us,” Tiernay added. “I like to have a masculine presence in
my coven, particularly when we have to face Evelyn’s unquiet
spirit. A coven should be thirteen, and it takes a lot of power to
summon a spirit, so we’re on the light side. What about Sherman? Is
he going to be there?”

“I have no
idea,” May said, explaining Sherman’s disappearance.

Tiernay
frowned. “I would have preferred to have him with us, but we’ll
have to manage. I’m not worried about Evelyn manifesting herself
without him. She’s shown a particular connection to both May and
Anna, so it shouldn’t be a problem.” Both women frowned, neither
particularly pleased to hear that.

“When do you
plan to hold the séance?” Erna asked.

“Tomorrow would
be too soon. I have preparations to make.” Tiernay thought for a
moment. “I should be ready the night after tomorrow.”

“Night?” May
said in a shaky voice. “Does it have to be at night?”

“I prefer to
commune with psychic forces at night,” Tiernay said. “It’s the best
time, when the line that separates the physical and spiritual
worlds is at its thinnest. Besides, Anna works during the day,
don’t you?”

“Yes,” she
answered.

“Well then, it
will have to be at night, unless Anna wants to take the day off.
Besides, I don’t want to close the store, and Greg will be with us,
so he can’t cover for me. Don’t worry, May,” Tiernay said, noting
her worried expression. “We’ll have more control over Evelyn by
summoning her than we had at the séance. She won’t be able to hurt
anyone this time.” Erna leaned over to squeeze her friend’s
shoulder, and May tried to smile.

“We’re very
grateful for your assistance, Tiernay,” Erna said. “Things seem to
be getting out of hand, and we’d like to lay Evelyn’s spirit to
rest.”

“I agree. There
has been an imbalance in the spiritual dimension from the day I
first sensed an evil presence following Anna, and it just hasn’t
felt right since. We should have dealt with it then, but you ladies
have taken some convincing, and I couldn’t have managed it on my
own. No one is powerful enough to do that.” Tiernay stood. “I’ve
got to go. We’ll meet at the cemetery entrance at 8 p.m. on
Wednesday night.”

“What if the
gate is locked?” Anna asked. “If Sherman hasn’t shown up by then,
we won’t be able to get inside.”

“Not a
problem,” Tiernay said. “I’ve broken into the cemetery before.
There’s a hill beside the back entrance that makes it easy to climb
over the wall. I’ll meet you at the front gate and unbolt it from
inside.”

“I hate to ask,
but why did you break into the cemetery before?” May said.

“I like to walk
around graveyards at night. The psychic energy from all those souls
is pretty wild,” Tiernay said with a glint in her eyes. May’s mouth
opened, but Anna shook her head not to pursue it.

“Thank you,”
Erna said, rising to show Tiernay out. “You’ve been very helpful.
I’m sure we all feel more secure now that you’ve safeguarded the
house.”

The young woman
nodded. “Maybe you ladies can repay me when I need your help in the
future. There’s a lot of energy in this room. I can’t wait to
channel it when I call upon our powers Wednesday night.”

“Yes,” Erna
said, looking over her shoulder at her friends’ unhappy faces. “I’m
sure that we all can’t wait.”

Chapter Twenty-One

Anna spent
Monday and Tuesday nights on Erna’s couch, plagued by nightmares of
Evelyn’s ghost trying to claw her way into the house. It seemed
that Anna’s rational mind couldn’t control the fear that the
dreadful visit had impressed upon her subconscious. She was anxious
to get the séance over with, hoping that somehow life would return
to normal once Tiernay had her way.

She drove May
and Erna to the cemetery Wednesday night, parking in the driveway
close to the gate. They had arrived early to have time to settle
May into a wheelchair before Tiernay and Greg arrived. The brother
and sister were late, however, and the three women had to wait in a
light drizzle on the cool, moonless night, armed with umbrellas and
flashlights.

“Sorry we’re
late,” Tiernay said, hurrying to the gate from inside the cemetery
when she and Greg arrived five minutes later. “Greg has this
deadline for a catalogue he’s working on with Emmanuel Cabrero, and
he had to do some last minute work before we could leave the
house.” The gate rattled as she slid the bolt back and pulled the
door open. “Come in.”

Tiernay was
dressed in an ankle-length navy cloak with the hood pulled over her
hair, while Greg wore his black coat and watchman’s cap. Anna felt
underdressed in sweat pants, a hoodie, and a waterproof jacket as
she wheeled May through the entrance, but at least she was
warm.

“Here, let me
take her,” Greg said, scrambling to get behind the wheelchair.
“How’re you doing, May?”

“Never better,”
she chirped. “Let’s get this show on the road. It’s about time we
got some of our own back on Evelyn.” Anna shook her head, knowing
that May had a rosary tucked in her pants pocket beneath the rain
poncho, even if she did sound confident and jaunty.

The group was
just turning on their flashlights, ready to venture beyond the
light of the security lamp, when a cruiser pulled into the driveway
behind them.

“Now what?”
Anna asked.

The car parked
behind hers, and Steve got out, in uniform.

“Wait for me,”
he called, jogging over to the gate.

“Steve, I told
you not to come,” Tiernay said, rushing to meet him. She unbolted
the gate and swung it open.

“I had to see
this for myself. It’s not every day a ghost gives a command
performance,” he said, slipping past Tiernay and joining the
others. She sighed and clanged the door shut behind him.

“All right, all
I ask is that you keep quiet during the ritual. I don’t want any
distractions from unbelievers.”

“I’ll be good,”
he responded with a twinkle in his eye. “Ladies,” he said, touching
the brim of his hat. “Greg.”

Anna was glad
to see that Steve looked his usual self, afraid that succumbing to
Tiernay’s charms might have changed him somehow. Not that she
expected the young woman to have drained his soul and turned him
into a zombie, but something.

“So, where are
we headed?” she asked.

“To the older
part of the graveyard at the back,” Tiernay replied. “I’ve already
prepared the site. Unfortunately, it’s not that easy to get
to.”

Erna nodded.
“That part of the cemetery was mostly full when the town built the
addition with the ring road. Since many of the people who were
buried in the old part died over fifty years or more ago, the
council thought their graves wouldn’t attract many visitors, and
didn’t bother with road access.”

Tiernay sighed,
impatient with Erna’s explanation. “Follow me,” she commanded,
striding down the pavement beside Steve, Greg following behind with
May, and Anna and Erna, arm and arm, in the rear.

“Are we walking
too fast for you?” Anna asked a minute later as Erna’s breathing
became audible. “I can ask Tiernay to slow down.”

“Oh no, I’m
fine, dear,” Erna said, flashing a smile. She was bundled up in a
coat and scarf with a vinyl rain bonnet tied firmly over her hair.
“This is exciting, isn’t it? Tramping through a cemetery in the
middle of the night.”

Anna smiled
fondly at her. “I hope that I’m half as game as you are when I’m
you’re age.”

Tiernay and
Steve halted, waiting for the others to catch up. “It’s time to
leave the road. We’re headed through there,” Tiernay said, pointing
toward some plots. “Do you think you’ll be able to manage with May
and the wheelchair, Greg?”

“Not a problem.
You just leave it to me, darling,” he added, smiling down at
May.

“Go for it,
kid,” she replied with a flourish of her hand.

“Stick together
and don’t get lost,” Tiernay said, leading the way.

The light rain
had become a murky mist, making it difficult to see very far even
with the flashlights. They moved at a slower pace, navigating
around tombstones and statuary, and sometimes through slippery
layers of damp leaves. Despite his bravado, Greg was having trouble
with May, and Steve had to help him clear soggy handfuls of leaves
from the wheels whenever the chair bogged down.

It was quiet
except for the scampering of inconspicuous animals and the
occasional howls of coyotes in the countryside beyond. Anna
concentrated on keeping her footing and helping Erna. She tried not
to feel nervous as they worked their way deeper into the cemetery.
It was irrational to give way to fears of the dark and the dead,
and Erna’s admonishments about her undisciplined mind had spurred
Anna into trying to think more logically.

At last Tiernay
pointed with her light and said, “It’s right over there, on the
other side of those trees.” They followed her around a stand of
evergreens and emerged beside a bench.

“Good,” Erna
said, limping a bit on her way to sit down. “I was hoping for a
rest.” She pulled a wad of tissues from her pocket and wiped the
bench dry before taking a seat. “Are you all right, May?”

“Sure. He did
all the work,” May replied, pointing over her shoulder at Greg, who
was puffing and leaning on the wheelchair. “Thanks, kid.”

“My pleasure,”
he replied between gasps.

“Greg, help me
with the lamps,” Tiernay said, shining her light on a Coleman lamp
set on the ground a short distance away.

“Coming,” he
responded, crossing to another lamp. Steve followed Tiernay,
leaving the three friends to watch them from the bench.

“Where are we?”
Anna asked, looking around.

“I’m afraid I
have no idea,” Erna replied. “My family is buried in a different
section.”

Curious as to
why this particular location had been chosen for the séance, Anna
flicked her flashlight on and stood up. There was a tombstone
directly in front of her, and she wandered over to read the
inscription. Pausing to study the stone, she inhaled sharply and
rushed back to Erna and May.

“It’s Evelyn’s
grave,” she said in a loud whisper, pointing at the stone with her
flashlight. “I can’t believe it!”

“Where else
would we hold the ceremony?” Tiernay asked, suddenly appearing at
her side.

“I don’t know.
I didn’t think. Somewhere in the open, I guess. Isn’t this
disrespectful, holding the séance on her grave?”

“Anna, I don’t
think you understand what we’re doing here tonight,” the young
woman replied. “We’re summoning Evelyn’s spirit. That means that
we’re forcing her to appear before us to answer our questions. It’s
not a matter of respect. We’re here to gain control over Evelyn’s
ghost.”

“I don’t think
that’s a good idea,” Anna said, suddenly apprehensive. Tiernay
looked amused, however, and her expression irritated Anna enough to
calm down. She decided to lay it on thick for the younger woman’s
benefit. “Evelyn’s very powerful, isn’t she? Won’t this make her
angry?” she asked with a tremor in her voice.

Tiernay
shrugged. “Maybe, but together we’re much stronger than she is.
Don’t worry, Anna, just do what I tell you, and everything will be
fine. Let’s get started, everyone,” she called in a louder voice.
“It’s not getting any warmer. As you’ll notice, I’ve painted a
white circle on the ground.” They all looked to where Tiernay
pointed, the circle illuminated by the three Coleman lamps the Raes
had lit outside the line.