pt. 10
The ride back to the family estate was tense. Gwen couldn't remember when she had been so angry. "Damn you Ian, you dragged me out here, away from my work, just to mediate a turf war between Aunt Josette and her daughter-in-law. There's nothing going on here that a good day in family court wouldn't clear up" Yet in the back of her mind, she couldn't shake the feeling that there was something going on, just under the surface that she should be looking out for. What that something was, she wasn't sure, yet it felt wrong. Why else would her cousin's ghost have tried to warn her off? Why did his spirit walk the halls at night, visible to his young daughter if there wasn't something he needed done by his living family?
"Penny for your thoughts." Philip offered, trying to break the tension.
"They're not worth that much." Gwen countered, tapping her fingers on the door frame. "I hate local cops. Just as well my buddy Warlock wasn't here. He has less patience with idiots than I do. This does, however, explains Aunt Josette's reluctance to have me investigate what was going on around here. When I get my hands on that woman…"
"Your cousin's family is not fond of his wife?" Derek interjected, remembering the rumors he had heard.
"No. I'm not sure why, except that her family was part of the working poor and Charlie's mother was from old money. I've always had a hunch that it was more to do with neither wanting to share Charlie's affections with the other. Things really got bad when Laurel was born. Charlie doted on his daughter but I think he finally got a little sick of both his wife and mother bickering all the time. I know I would have been." Gwen leaned forward in her seat to look into Derek's eyes. "But none of this explains the vision we both saw, does it?"
"No, it doesn't." he agreed, watching her through the rear view mirror. "Perhaps you should not return to the house."
"I have to." She sighed, her anger draining from her. "I can't leave Laurel alone. Having the Gift of the Sight isn't easy, especially when you're young. It can be even worse when you're trying to deal with it by yourself. Charlie was trying to help Laurel deal with being able to see what wasn't there but I got the distinct impression that his mother wasn't making it any easier. She never did believe in the any of it, the ghosts and the premonitions. She's a terribly unimaginative woman." Gwen smiled grimly at the thought of confronting her aunt with what they had discovered. "Even if there is nothing going on here that the Legacy should deal with, I can't in good conscience leave a ten year old stuck between two warring factions without at least letting her know she has a friend."
Derek smiled one of his rare smiles. "She has quite an ally in you." He leaned forward in his seat as Philip pulled up in front of the house, searching the darkened grounds with a wary eye. His smile was replaced with a grim frown. "Let us go with you when you speak to your aunt. You'll need support if something happens."
"That's an offer I won't refuse." The trio left the Rover parked in front of the manor and started inside the silent house. Gwen shivered as a cold breeze swept past them, slamming the front door behind them. "Something's happening, Derek. Do you feel it?"
"Yes." He agreed, his senses tingling with the feeling of danger all around him. Outside the sun had begun to set, leaving blood red shadows to cover the estate. "Where would your aunt be at this hour?"
"Upstairs, in her room. I think I can find it. Follow me." She bolted up the stairs before either man could stop here, only to stop before she reached the top. "Derek, Philip, don't move. There's something happening on the landing."
"What?" Philip asked, starting up the stairs. Derek's hand grasped his arm, keeping him from following his friend.
"Wait, Philip." Derek looked up at Gwen, who was still frozen in place at the top of the stairs. He could see now what she was looking at, a whitish cloud which was forming on the landing, coalescing into the shape of a man. He watched in fascinated horror as the figure took on the form of the man in the picture from Gwen's apartment, Charles Llewellyn.
"Hello, Cousin." The figure's voice had a hollow ring to it, as though the speaker was at the end of a very large and empty chamber. Though the figure was almost translucent, some parts of the body were disturbingly solid. It bore the injuries that Charles had sustained in the crash, including a nasty gash where his face had hit the steering wheel. It gave Gwen a ghastly smile then looked back down the hall towards the bedrooms. "Shouldn't have come, you know."
"Well, I'm here." Gwen replied, trying to hide her dismay. "Why are you here, Charlie? Silas said that terrible sad, things have been happening here since your death. Was it you causing them? Why? Is it because your wife has moved your body?"
"Has she?" the ghost asked, sounding amused. "Well, that sounds like her. Always wanting to put one over on Mother." The phantom looked back over Gwen's shoulder, lifting one ruined eyebrow in mock surprise. "I see you brought a priest with you. Is he going to exorcise me?"
"Let us help you move on, cousin." Gwen replied, trying to sound soothing. "Tell me what binds you to this house."
The ghost's face suddenly lost its amused expression. "Nothing here is as it seems, Cousin, and I died because of it. Trust no one. " It reached almost longingly for her, then disappeared before their eyes.
