Chapter 18 – There's Blood Up on the Stairs

Disclaimer: I do not own Ghost Hunt, if I did the series would never have ended and Mai and Naru would have little paranormal grandbabies for Martin and Luella running around by now.

Author's Note: Another short and sweet chapter. We should be getting into the good stuff on the case soon. All the players are in place to be the most effective, and now that the hard part of setting everything up is taken care of I really can't wait to write the next part! Let me know what you think guys, PM me or leave a review so I know if this direction is working for you all!

Thanks for Izabella95 for checking this over before I posted, and for being a sounding board for all my crazy ideas for this story. You rock!


Oliver stalled as he reached for a second cup of tea and sighed irritably when he heard a scream erupt from the floor above them, especially since there was supposed to be no setup occurring on the second floor yet. He exchanged a glance with Mai, and they both dashed out of the room relying on Naru's memory of the floorplan to get them to the nearest set of stairs. As they ran up the stairs he vaguely noticed other members of the group following behind them; as he and Mai arrived on the second floor they were greeted with the sight of Miss Clifford gripping tightly onto the stair's railing, her entire body shaking with the effort to hold herself upright.

Mai rushed over to the icy blonde, stiffening and glancing sharply at Oliver, before saying, "There's a spirit here, they're trying to hide from me but I can feel their presence… although it doesn't feel malevolent," she said and turned to Billy and told him to record the upstairs hallway's current atmospheric readings, before turning back to the empath, "Miss Clifford, Josslyn, why are you on the second floor, you should still be with Miss Ryder downstairs… can you tell us what happened?" Mai spoke soothingly to the other woman, hoping that her attempt at sending out calming energy would resonate with Josslyn's empath skills and assist in calming her. Mai's efforts seemed to work until Josslyn realized who was next to her, and she snapped, "Get away from me! You have no right to question me!" Josslyn shrieked, her shrill tone causing the gathered team to wince before Oliver spoke, "Mai has every right to question you as a senior investigator on this team, now answer her questions because I would also like to know exactly why you are where you should not be."

Finally releasing the railing, Josslyn tossed her hair over her shoulder with an arrogant flick as she simpered at Oliver, "I was taking the initiative to scope out the problem areas contained in your packet Oliver. Jenny is used to grunt work and can handle it; I'm not suited for that," she said dismissively, before turning to glare at Mai, "And what happened was, your stupid charm attracted a ghost right to me. I have never once been attacked before James handed these stupid so-called protective charms you made. I know you're jealous of my breeding and relationship with Oliver, but that's low even for a daft cow like you," she screeched as she threw a torn up piece of paper at Mai.

Lin grabbed the paper off the floor where it landed and said quietly enough that the others had to strain to hear him, "Oliver, this is one of the charms I made, not Mai, and it is only effective in one piece, not six," and rolled his eyes as he stared at the clueless blonde. "Miss Clifford, it would be in your best interest to do your job quietly, you are not here as an investigator, and the next time you disobey a direct order or destroy any company provided equipment or materials, your period of assessment will be designated as over," Lin rebuked harshly, his patience wearing thin at the young woman's theatrics.

The entire group except for Mai and Naru paled noticeably when Lin of all people reprimanded Josslyn for her actions; Lin was known to be even-tempered, if taciturn, but he rarely ever criticized any team member, instead preferring to offer assistance if they floundered. By her actions and the response by team leadership, it was quickly becoming apparent that Josslyn had an unhealthy and unprofessional obsession with Oliver Davis, who in turn only tolerated her presence through his own absolute professionalism.

Naru pinched the bridge of his nose in annoyance at the scene in front of him, before turning and walking away, motioning for the team to follow him back to the base, not caring in the slightest if Josslyn followed them or not. Upon reaching base, he wandered back over to the tea tray, and even though the beverage had cooled by this point he needed another cup at least, and was greedily draining the cup when Mr. Lumley entered the room, accompanied by a nervous petite brunette wearing a bulky ankle brace and a sling holding her arm close to her body, and introduced her as his wife Amanda.

Mai stepped forward in a friendly manner; her actions helping to ease the nervousness on Amanda's face slightly, and said, "Mrs. Lumley, thank you for meeting us so quickly. I know that the experiences you have had here must be frightening at times, and we hope to be able to help ease your worries in that stead. My name is Mai Taniyama, and I am one of Dr. Davis' assistants and an investigator; would you be alright with Callum and I asking you some questions while Oliver and Lin do the same with your husband? We could question you together but splitting up should help us get our questions over more quickly, so you can leave the manor, which I can tell makes you nervous right now," she said with a kind smile at the older woman, who nodded in response.

Brian who had been watching his wife's anxious form since they had arrived, gave Oliver a surprised look when he saw Mai completely putting her at ease while taking her over to one of the couches to interview, and said, "How did she do that? Amanda has been on edge about coming back to the house, and two sentences from your assistant and she looks almost comfortable," he noticed Oliver's smirk and cocked his head in puzzlement. Oliver, taking pity on the client, lead him over to the other grouping of couches so they can also begin their interview and said, "Mai is one of a kind, and to be frank, she is probably the most talented member of our team that is comprised of some of the best in our field. One of her most compelling attributes is her ability to connect not just with the clients, but when acting as a medium, with those on the other side as well," he said smiling softly with pride as he discussed his fiancée's skills, unwittingly revealing more about their relationship to the client than he had intended. Brian smiled back knowingly at the younger man and asked, "What kind of questions do you have for me? We might as well get started so we don't fall behind your…girl…there." Naru stifled his smile at the client's words, his face becoming an impassive mask as he opened his notorious black notebook to take notes, and began asking Brian several questions, only pausing in his process once the client starts embellishing his responses without prompting and listens intently.

Now more comfortable himself, after the investigators asking him questions did not ridicule him for his previous answers, Brian begins to relate his true impressions of the situation quickly, "Amanda has been a target since the first week we moved in here, first it was the dreams. She only woke up screaming and dizzy at first, and we honestly thought they were just normal nightmares, but then she started waking up with bruises all over her body, with broken fingernails we at first attributed to her flailing around in her sleep. During this time she also felt like she was pushed down the stairs twice, once down the back staircase near the old servant's quarters and once down the staircase from the attic where we had been searching for old furnishings to restore. Amanda has always had two left feet so we thought maybe she imagined the feeling of being pushed, but then a week later she woke up and there were words carved into her skin," he stopped speaking to shudder at the memory and looked up at the other two men with misty eyes.

"That night she woke up and the words, 'slattern, slag, and whore' were visible on her back and stomach, and the weird part was that there was no blood, and the wounds were already scabbed over when she woke up. She didn't feel anything while she was asleep, but once she awoke the pain was horrible, and she was sobbing from the intensity of it. We took her to the family doctor and he thought I had hurt her! I would never hurt Amanda, I swear! It was that afternoon after returning from the doctor that she was pushed down the main staircase in the manor, and this time I wasn't around to catch her. She sprained her ankle and fractured her wrist, and was adamant that someone had shoved her down the stairs and was laughing about it. I have never seen my wife so scared since I have known her; she's usually so brave and has the bravado of a battle-hardened soldier so seeing her so timid anytime the manor is mentioned is rough. So far I have experienced nothing at all, I have only witnessed what has happened to Amanda, or the other accidents our female friends and family have also had happen to them. My mother and Amanda's sister have also slipped on the stairways, and some of our female friends have had items in their rooms disturbed while visiting," Brian said, nervously rubbing his hands together as he looked at Oliver with an almost pleading expression.

Oliver nodded as the client finished speaking, and said, "Activity like you have experienced here, is not uncommon in a case where there is a malevolent spirit attached to a person or location. Since none of these activities began until you both moved here, our first course of research will be on the property itself, and with that in mind, is there any insight on the history of the manor that you can share with us?" Brian winced in regret and replied, "I have never had a head for those kinds of details, and history never really interested me at all, but Amanda was working on a history of the family and manor before we moved in. She wanted to make a souvenir guidebook for any guests we invited to take home as a memento, but with everything going on it isn't a project that she is keen to complete at the moment. She has an entire filing cabinet in the study that is dedicated to the history of the Lumley family, and the house here specifically… maybe you should ask her the same questions you've asked me," he said and glanced over at his wife as she spoke animatedly to Mai and Callum.

Lin stopped typing momentarily at Brian's suggestion and gave the client a small reassuring smile, before stating, "Your wife is actually speaking with the head researcher on this case, in addition to Mai. Both Callum and Mai are excellent at knowing exactly which questions to ask to get the most important information from a source, and how to be the least traumatizing too," Lin said while looking Naru's direction, and noticed he seemed deep in thought. Knowing that look from years of working with both twins Lin knew he was probably telepathically telling Mai to ask Mrs. Lumley about her interest in the history of the family. Lin then took the opportunity while Oliver was distracted with his mental conversation to let Brian know that if they had any follow up questions that they would let Brian know via telephone, and much to the other man's relief that neither he nor his wife would be required at the manor until the end of the case unless expressly requested.

Mai's eyes widened as she listened to Amanda Lumley talk about what she had experienced at the manor so far, and decided that they needed to do anything that they could to help the client as she had a feeling that Amanda's life was in jeopardy if they didn't. As Callum was clarifying a couple of points about the dreams Amanda had been experiencing Mai received a message from Naru telepathically, "Mai, ask Mrs. Lumley about her research on the Lumley family history and the manor. Mr. Lumley says that she has an entire filing cabinet on what she has personally looked into before all of the spiritual activity started here," he said and she replied, "Naru, that's amazing! I will ask her about that, and maybe that will help us expedite the investigation, I'm getting a really bad feeling about this, and I think it's more dangerous than we thought it might be. I'm going to ask her if there is any information on a Katherine or Dunstan that she found in her earlier interest… and if she asks where I heard those names, I will admit they were in my own dreams since she was telling us about hers just a moment ago. Maybe if she knows that she isn't the only one this manor sends dreams to, she will feel less jittery. I mean her worries can't be good for her baby," she rambled on absentmindedly to Oliver mentally as she half-listened to Callum and the client talking. Oliver responded immediately to her thoughts by sending, "Mrs. Lumley is pregnant? Did she just tell you that, because I don't remember seeing that in the case files," and Mai blinked rapidly, thinking back on the conversation with Amanda and not finding any indication of a baby in the future and answered him, "No, she never said that now, or in the initial information we had about the case, but I'm positive she is. Chalk up another inexplicable bit of information supplied by my intuition, but don't worry I won't bring it up with her unless it's necessary, but I am certain it's another factor for us to consider Naru. I'll tune back into the conversation with the client now and ask her the questions you had for her. Love you, now let me work," she said and turned slightly to face him for a second and winked briefly before turning fully back to the client ready to interject when the current line of questioning was finished.

Mai cleared her throat quietly as Mrs. Lumley finished answering Callum's last question, and smiled at the other woman softly saying, "Amanda, you have been through a lot since you moved in here, I am very glad that we were able to come investigate so quickly, I believe that we will be able to help you but I do have some other questions to ask you if you don't mind. I know that you've already given us a lot of information, but Dr. Davis just informed me that your husband said that you have already done extensive research on the history of the Lumley family and this manor?" When Amanda nodded slowly, staring at Mai with an inquisitive expression on her face, Mai continued smiling broadly, "I know what you're thinking Amanda, that look on your face happens a lot when I mention speaking to Oliver telepathically without explaining it beforehand. We speak mentally quite often, and it comes in handy when we are both handling different interviews, like right now. Your husband told him about your filing cabinet full of information that might give Callum a head start on researching possible past residents or members of the family who could be involved in what has caused your paranormal activity," Mai reached over and patted Amanda's hand gently in reassurance while the other woman thought over the information just revealed to her.

"So, you're saying you can talk to people in their heads?" Amanda asked Mai, who shook her head and replied, "Not everyone no. I have a special connection with Oliver, and his late brother and can speak to them telepathically. I cannot deny that it is possible that at some point I will find other people that I can use the skill with but for now, everyone else is safe from my mental intrusion, don't worry," she said with a laugh trying to ease the client's mind then added, "Although telepathy isn't the only interesting skill I have that I should tell you about, I also have post-cognitive dreams. On the ride here from Cambridge, I had a dream that involved this case. In your research of the family, did you happen to find any information on a Mr. Dunstan Lumley, and his third wife Katherine? I had a dream that included a proposal of marriage and acceptance that involved two parties with those names in a room that looked as if it was decorated during the Victorian Era, so maybe they would have lived here in the 1880's or 1890's?" Mai tilted her head as Amanda's face took on a look of surprise.

Amanda nodded emphatically, "Yes! I remember those names. There was actually quite a scandal involved with Dunstan Lumley's third wife, you see she left him for another woman while she was pregnant, although at first she declared the other woman, her name was Anne Winston or Wincomb or something similar, was only helping her since her pregnancy left her nearly bedridden. But Anne was known in the area to be popular with men who didn't have a permanent mistress, and was often seen entertaining Dunstan Lumley at a local tavern in a very intimate manner," she said with a blush and gave both Mai and Callum an apologetic look at the coarseness of the topic before she continued, "So while she was heavily pregnant, Katherine left her husband for the woman he often cheated on her with, and shortly after she moved in with Anne, Katherine gave birth to a little girl, and then both she and the baby disappeared not even a week later. After six months, in which time Dunstan spent the majority of his time carousing in London, not even looking for his wife or child, he married a fourth time, and then moved Anne in to be his new wife's maidservant while still cavorting with her on the side. I'm sure there is a lot more information about that situation that I just haven't had time to look into yet, and you're welcome to use any of the research materials if you think they can help, I wasn't really interested in Dunstan Lumley's story, but Katherine's," she said with a slight shudder and subconsciously held her hand over her lower abdomen as if protecting it.

Mai smiled comfortingly at Amanda and said, "Don't worry, Callum is an expert researcher. If anyone can find the most pertinent information about Katherine so we can see if her story can help us solve what is plaguing you, it will be him. Before you leave, can you please show him to your research area in the study? Once you've shown him where to find the information, you and your husband can leave, and since your safety is of the utmost importance I promise we will not ask you to return until we have the case solved unless absolutely necessary. If you think of any other information though, please let us know, but try to ease your mind, every team member with us is a professional and used to situations like this and we will make your home safe for you, I promise," Mai said giving Amanda another kind smile before standing to leave her and Callum so they could go discuss her research in the study. Nodding in satisfaction Mai moved over to the other seating area where Brian was still conversing with Lin and Naru and filled them in on their progress. She took the time to compare the information that she learned from Amanda to that which they had learned from Brian and all three SPR members were pleased that while it was obvious the statements each had unique viewpoints, the information about the situation was unchanged between witnesses.

Amanda returned shortly, with Callum trailing directly behind her, his arms full of journals and notebooks that Amanda had told him were directly related to the time period Mai asked about. Callum carried his burden over to one of the desks in front of the camera feeds and began reading immediately, while Amanda walked directly over to her husband and indicated that she was done, and that they could leave. Mai smiled briefly when she saw husband and wife reunited, noticing the protective way Mr. Lumley wrapped his arm around his wife's shoulders and how Amanda's hands once again rested protectively over her abdomen and she risked a teasing glance over at Naru, knowing that he was noticing the same details and thinking that Mai's intuition still had not failed them.

Once Lin left with the clients to see them out, Naru and Mai were joined by two other team members, Angela and Juney. The two of them had just finished a walkthrough of the manor and wanted to share their impressions of what the two of them had sensed on the second floor near where Josslyn had been attacked. Angela gave Mai a tight smile before quietly stating, "Dr. Davis, both Juney and I felt a slight disturbance near the top of that staircase, and in the Manor's master suite. The problem is we each felt something different."

Oliver and Mai exchanged a troubled look and Mai asked, "Can you explain what you mean by different? When we were upstairs earlier there was a presence, but it was hiding from me and I couldn't get a good read on it," and Mai turned a questioning gaze upon the two older spiritualists before continuing, "It seemed almost timid, and not like the type of spirit that would have intentions to kill, did either of you sense the same thing I did?"

Juney nodded and said, "Yes'm Miz Angie described da same type of entity you did, but I felt sumthin' mean Miz Mai. Now, it didn't seem like it wanted to pay me or Miz Angela any mind, but dat thing is dangerous I'm telling you. I gotta gris-gris bag with dat ting's name on it, an' when you an' Doc here figure out who dat haint is an' where dere buried, dirt from dat grave gon' be da best way to get 'em good," and the elder man grinned fiendishly, his deep bass voice carrying a vaguely lyrical quality through his heavy Sea Island patios. Juney's dark eyes twinkled with pure enjoyment while speaking about the subject of haints, the name that some regional religions in the southern US called ghosts Mai recollected from some obscure fact she learned in the future, and she grinned back at him, before saying, "Juney, Angela, I'm going to go take a walk through the areas you have highlighted, and I'll see if Jenny can come along with me since she's training to be a medium. Naru, is there anyone else you want to come along with us? I assume you want to stay here with Lin and Callum and get a head start on any research?" Oliver nodded at Mai thoughtfully and said, "Why don't you take Mr. Parker with you as well? He has offensive skills with his Pyrokinesis if the ghost decides to lash out at you or Miss Ryder. I'll have Lin and Callum delve into the journals Mrs. Lumley loaned us, and I will watch the monitor feeds along with James for the time being unless you call for me," he smiled at Mai, the sight of it reserved only for her eyes and then turned to face both Angela and Juney. "Mr. Young, and Ms. Cooke, I would like for you both to prepare for an exorcism of the areas that you indicated, and if necessary, Mai I would also like you to prepare to cleanse any spirits or presences lingering in the manor that are not malicious. Also if necessary, since you can remain fully aware while summoning Eugene, see if you can rouse him from the astral plane to work in tandem, should the spirit prove problematic," he nodded as he thought over his instructions and Mai nudged him with her shoulder gently to get his attention.

"Naru, what about Miss Clifford? Someone needs to watch her and make sure that she doesn't get into any more trouble," she said muttering softly in Japanese about Masako copycats before catching herself and smiling sheepishly, although no one else near them understood what she said. "Sorry guys, I promise I'm not trying to be rude, but sometimes it is easier to speak in my native language," and when the other two gave her a shocked look, she went on, "Yeah, English is my second language, thanks to Oliver and Eugene. My skills as a perfect medium helped a lot too, since whenever I channel Gene for Naru or Mum and Dad… oh sorry, I meant Martin and Luella Davis to talk to, his memory of the language gets stored in my memories too," she said giving them a smile full of pride that they mistook her for a native English speaker.

Angela cocked her head at Mai's announcement and nodded thoughtfully before saying, "That's actually a pretty amazing gift, young lady… and is this Naru you keep referring to, Oliver, here?" Mai giggled at the question and Oliver shook his head, knowing exactly what Mai was going to say, and that soon everyone in BSPR would be referring to him as 'narcissist' just like they did in Japan.

Mai didn't disappoint, she quickly ran down the story of coining the nickname for him shortly after their first meeting, and while not knowing how similar it was to his own English nickname, that it had to be her intuition at work, and now everyone they worked within Japan only called him by his real name when necessary in front of clients now. Angela laughed for the first time Oliver could ever remember, and Juney whooped out loud, his voice carrying to the rest of the team as he informed Mai that she was a genius and repeated the nickname several times to get a feel for it before he said to Oliver, "Nar', name suits you Doc. Tink I'll call you dat from now on, makes you seem hum'n an' all, just like dis lil woman of yours do," Juney said clapping a hand on Oliver's shoulder in al almost companionable way and said, "An' don' worry, we got dat lil viper Josslyn. Miz Angie an' I will get her to grab our exorcism gear, an' if sum' of it don' exist, oops," he cackled at his own joke and winked at both Mai and Oliver before both he and Angela turned to go find their 'gopher' so they could prepare for exorcisms later and Mai grinned at Naru before sneaking a quick peck to his cheek before she wandered off on her own to go find Billy and Jenny for their own walkthrough.