Excerpt

“It’s haunted.”

Conversation around the large table ceased and all eyes turned to the middle-aged man speaking. His wavy brown hair was riddled with gray, and his eyes were warm and intelligent.

“Professor?” This was from a redhead with way too much cleavage and not enough clothes.

“You heard me, Amber. These grounds are haunted. A grisly murder occurred in the late 1800s and well, from all accounts the souls of the victims never moved on. Staying to either help or harm the occupants of this establishment,” the professor explained.

Harmony raised an eyebrow and glanced at Jade. She shifted in her seat, lowering her spoon to the table.

“Was the murderer ever caught?” This was from a light-skinned boy with a high afro, giving him the appearance of one of those troll dolls from her childhood.

The professor dabbed his mouth with his napkin, leaning back in his chair, almost as if he were pleased with the turn of the conversation.

If his explanation could clarify some of the strange things going on in the cabin, well, she was willing to listen. Jade studied the occupants at the table. Only one other man was present. He wasn’t quite old but he didn’t have the fresh-faced glow of youth either. He hadn’t spoken much, but had more or less watched the others just as she was doing.

“Tyrese?”

The man on her left perked up, giving the professor his full attention. Jade studied the tight set of his jaw. Despite his apparent affability, tension seemed to flow from him. She moved closer to Harmony.

“Are the cameras in place for tonight’s dead time?”

“Dead time?” Harmony said.

She nudged him.

“Yes. The time between two and four or usually three in the morning,” Tyrese answered. His voice was pitched low, causing the listener to lean toward him to hear. Whether this was deliberate or not Jade didn’t like it. Why didn’t the man just speak up?

“We’ve found that’s the time earthbound spirits are most active,” the professor added. “You are more than welcome to join us. There are plenty of monitors to keep an eye on things.”

“How will you know if something is there?” This time Jade glared at her husband. He reached over and squeezed her hand. “I’m curious.”

She huffed and resumed eating her soup. Not that she wasn’t curious as well, there was just something about this entire group that seemed a little off to her. They seemed a little too cheery, a little too solicitous.

“The owner, our lovely hostess, Sela, has reported cold spots in different rooms or cabins. Items being moved from one end of the room to the other, has even noted laundry being folded. While she finds this to be a fantastic plus, it can be a little disconcerting.”

A chuckle went around the table, but Jade only felt a chill wiggle down her spine. The hairs on the back of her neck were standing on end. She glanced around and got the distinct impression that someone was watching her.

Low rumbling overhead accompanied the flicker of lights. Jade clutched Harmony’s hand.

“Nothing like a little ambience to go along with a ghost story.” Tyrese chuckled. “Are you afraid of ghosts, Jade?”