Chapter 4

Katniss stretched and lowered herself into the bath. She turned on the Jacuzzi, closed her eyes and leaned back. Images of Peeta and Lily drifted in and out of her mind.

She took in a deep breath. "Holy crap!" She spat out a mouth full of soapy water. Bubbles had risen over her head and spilled on the floor. "Where's the button? Dammit!"

Frantic knocking came from the door. "Katniss, you in there?"

"Madge, help!"

Madge flung the door open. She slid across the bathroom floor. "Kat, where are you?"

"In here, help me find the switch."

Madge pawed around the tub and pressed the button. "I think I found it."

"MADGE! That's not the button!"

"Oh Christ, sorry Kat. I got it now." The Jacuzzi motor turned off. "What happened?"

"I think there was some bubble bath left in the tub." Katniss wiped the bubbles off her face.

Madge giggled. "You look like Santa Claus."

"Ha, ha, ha." She frowned and crossed her arms. "What are you up to?"

"Oh, I need to hide out from Gale for awhile."

Katniss focused on Madge. She was flush and her hair was messed up. Her clothing was askew.

"Your shirt is on backward."

"Oh, thanks."

"What's up with you and Gale?"

"I don't know what's up with him. He dragged me up the stairs like a Neanderthal."

"I saw, that was pretty incredible."

"Yeah it was." Madge's eyes wandered around the spacious bathroom. "It was really hot too. Then we made love. Which was also hot."

"So what's the problem?"

"After that he usually goes off and watches TV or falls asleep. This afternoon he wanted to cuddle."

"And that was ... bad?"

"Yes, he cut into my ghost hunting time."

Katniss rolled her eyes and thought about the last time Peeta attacked her and sighed.

"What's wrong Kat?"

She rubbed her temples. Confusion overwhelmed her mind.

"Well, Peeta's been pretty distant lately. I don't know what's wrong with him. And my neighbor's next door were at it again."

"Oh crap, I forgot to tell you." Madge's eyes got wide and she shook Katniss' shoulder. "No one's next door. The room is empty."

"And that means?"

"OH MY GOD Katniss! You breathed in too many bubbles."

Katniss cocked her head.

"I guess you were right. The lack of meat makes Katniss dopey," Madge said. Katniss grinned at her childhood friend. "It means the ghosts were having sex."

"And you think I'm dopey; you've gone loopy. Ghosts having sex."

"Why would you think ghosts couldn't have sex?"

"I don't know. They're kinda transparent. Wouldn't they just sorta go through each other."

"Who cares! Get dressed and let's go next door."

Katniss was surprised that Madge was able to drag her into the room next door.

"I didn't know you were that strong Madge."

"Not important Kit Kat, we've got work to do."

They set up the audio and video. Madge scanned the room with the EMF meter and Katniss did the same with the thermal imaging camera.

Katniss rubbed her eyes and examined the screen a second time. She wasn't sure what to make of the image on the screen.

"Holy cow. The EMF in the room is high, off the charts high," Madge said.

"Madge, I have something also." Madge swung her head around.

"It looks like bodies, two, I think."

Katniss lowered the camera and shook her head. "Madge, this is ridiculous. This door is left unlocked. I think a couple snuck in here and had a roll in the hay on cotton sheets for kicks."

Madge lay her hand on the bed. Her eyes lit up and she aimed the camera at it. "Kat, that would make sense if the spot was warmer than the space around it. It's colder, feel the bed."

Katniss recoiled and crossed her arms. "No, that's alright. I believe you."

"You know what this means? We need to look for cold spots, not hot spots."

Katniss wrapped her arms tighter around herself. She thought about the cold spot in the hot tub and how her bath turned icy.

Madge hadn't noticed the fear on Katniss' face. She looked like she was about to explode.

"You look like you're about to do your happy dance."

"I want to." Madge scrunched her nose. "But never on camera, though."

Katniss sat on her bed and looked at the empty spot next to her. She ran her hand over the space next to her. The space was cool. Not from an apparition but from the lack of body heat.

A chill sent a shiver down her spine. She wrapped the comforter around herself. Her heart sped up and she reached for her bag with her gun in it. She pointed it at the woman that stood at the foot of her bed.

"Who are you?"

"I'm Milly."

"How did you get in here?"

"I walked in."

Katniss squinted at the door. The deadbolt was on.

"You do need glasses."

Katniss' stomach twisted in a knot. "Why do you say that?"

"I heard you talking to your husband."

Katniss shook her head. "No, you didn't. We were alone when he said that."

Milly smiled. She was a slight woman with tiny features. Her dress was more like a costume, like a flapper.

"Why are you dressed like that?"

She held her arms up and examined herself. "These are my clothes."

"Just stay still. I'm calling the police."

"You miss Peeta."

"I don't want to talk to you about this."

Katniss searched for her phone. A tear welled up in the corner of her eye.

"If you don't have a physical relationship with your husband, look for it somewhere else."

Katniss narrowed her eyes and glared at the mystery woman. "Who the hell are you to talk to me like that?"

Katniss twisted towards the door. She heard the knock at the door, the doorknob twisted. "Kat, it's me," Madge said.

"You stay ..." Katniss' eyes opened wide and she jumped off the bed and her eyes darted left to right. Milly was gone. She dropped to her knees and looked under the bed.

"Kat, you in there?"

Katniss opened the door but kept her eyes on the room.

"Whoa, what's with the gun."

Madge stood in the hall with her arms in the air.

"Um, I thought I heard something." She put her gun back in the bag. "What's up?"

"Are you ready to go?"

Katniss nodded her head and followed Madge out, never taking her eyes off the room as she backed out.

Katniss and Madge drove to go shopping.

"Oh, Kat look, a deer," Madge said. "Thay are so cute."

Katniss placed her hands on the side window. Her jaw dropped and her mouth watered. "And delicious."

She and Madge spent the day traipsing from souvenir shops to antique shops to clothing stores to bookstores.

"My feet hurt and I'm hungry," Katniss said.

"Okay, you grab those three bags and I'll take these. There's a restaurant across the street," Madge said.

Katniss slipped off her shoes and rubbed her feet. She pouted as she thought about getting old.

"Hi, I'm Brandon, I'll be your server. Can I get you drinks?"

"Um, um, well, I ..." Katniss' mouth lost all its moisture. She felt sweat form on her brow.

"Just give us a minute," Madge said.

Katniss stared at Brandon as he walked away.

"You dog."

"Um, what?"

"Katniss, you're old enough to be his ..." Madge recoiled when she saw Katniss' eyes. "Um, you're old enough to be his mother's younger sister."

Katniss grinned. "Thank ya Madge."

"I'm just surprised at you. Yes, he's young with blonde wavy hair and a smile that'll light up a room. And you can practically see his abs through his tee shirt." Madge trailed off. "Um, where was I?"

"You were saying how surprised you were at me."

"Have you decided yet?" Brandon asked.

"Yes, I'll have the Ceasar Salad and an Iced Tea," Madge said.

"I'll have that same."

"Be right up," he said.

Katniss' heart raced when Brandon leaned over to pick up the menus. She fanned herself. "You're right. I'm acting like a teenager." Madge stared at her with a stunned look. "What's wrong?"

"You didn't order meat."

"Oh, Christ. It's happened. I'm getting used to the lack of meat."

"Well, it's probably good for us."

"I just want to know when I'll spend less time on the toilet."

"Your Iced Teas."

They both watched his rear as he walked away.

"Ahhh," they sighed in unison.

Katniss took in a deep breath and looked over her oatmeal, fruit salad (mainly pears), and pear juice.

"I can't wait to get home," she said.

"How is your stay going?" Sae asked.

"Great, can't wait till we can come back." Katniss forced a smile. "I have a question, I read about someone called Milly, do you know anything about her?"

"Milly Trumbull was quite a character. Everybody in this area knows about her."

Katniss put down her fork and leaned in.

"She got around. If you know what I mean."

Katniss cocked her head and leaned in more. "What?"

"She liked the company of men, lots of men."

"Was she a prostitute?"

Sae shook her head. "No, she just had a voracious appetite."

"How did she die?"

"A jealous wife, Marta Darian, got to her. Shot at her sixteen times."

"Wow, her body must have been a mess."

"Not at all. She missed fifteen times. The one time she hit her, right between the eyes."

"Sae, excuse me. I gotta go and take care of something."

Katniss sprinted up the stairs and fumbled with the key in the door. She flung the door open. Her head drooped when she didn't see Peeta.

She curled up on the bed and opened up the Detective Ballbuster graphic novel.

"Hey, you ready?" Madge asked.

Madge spotted Katniss on the bed, her eyes were bloodshot and she hugged her pillow. Detective Ballbuster laid next to her.

"Sweetie, what's wrong? Detective Ballbuster not catch the supervillain?"

Katniss swallowed hard. "I came up here looking for Peeta and he wasn't here. I'm so worried about him. I keep asking him what's wrong, but he clams up and changes the subject. I hope it's not me. I don't know what I've done. We haven't made love in a month. I know men have moods too, but I wish he'd tell me."

Katniss looked deep into her oldest friend's blue eyes. She'd been there at every important point in her life. Except Lily's birth, Madge was off having hot honeymoon sex.

"I understand Kit Kat."

Katniss wiped the tears from her eyes. "You do? What should I do?"

"Well, when I've felt like you I pick myself up and go ghost hunting. So get up and grab your night vision goggles."

Katniss leaned in and blinked.

"Chop, chop Katniss. We're running out of darkness. Dawn's at 6:30."

"That's eleven hours from now."

"Yup, like I said, times a wasting."

They climbed the stairs to the attic. Unlike the spacious stairs in the entryway or the sturdy, but squeaky, stairs to the basement, the attic stairs were neither spacious nor sturdy.

The hair on the nape of Katniss' neck stood up. She rubbed the back of her neck, but her heart sped up with each step.

"Oh, this is more like it," Madge said.

"Does the book say ghosts hang out in dusty, dark and cramped spaces?"

"No, but it adds to the atmosphere. Let's set up our equipment."

"Madge, I got a question. What'll we do if we find a ghost?"

"I don't know. Maybe ask them why they're haunting. How can we help them get to the other side."

"Like, get to heaven."

"Yeah, like that."

"What happens if they're atheist?"

Madge's head bobbed from side to side, then she shook it quickly. "Let's drop the philosophical questions, Kat. Hand me the video camera and tripod."

Katniss and Madge set up all the equipment. Madge donned the night vision goggles and Katniss wore the thermal imaging camera.

"Madge, you're pretty hot."

Madge spun around. She looked like a cyborg with one protruding mechanical eye.

"98.6 to be exact."

"Oh, I thought that after thirty or so years you were finally hitting on me."

"What do you mean finally hitting on you?"

"Well, you always had a crush on me."

"What are you talking about?"

Katniss saw Madge give a quick but exaggerated smirk through the camera. Her eyes grew large and a shiver went down her spine. "Oh Christ, do you feel that?"

Madge wrapped her arms around herself and rubbed them. "It got cold real fast. I think we have company."

Madge and Katniss crawled along moving their heads from side to side. They drifted deeper through the narrow aisles between boxes and storage containers.

"Madge, the temperature is dropping."

"I don't see anything, but the emf meter is gyrating."

Kat pointed to the right, Madge moved some boxes.

"I think this is it," Madge said.

Katniss could hear her heart pound. Goosebumps rose on her arms. She kept her hand on Madge's back.

The temperature dropped on Katniss' gauge. She saw Madge reach forward. Through the thermal imaging camera, Madge was red and the air in front of her bright white. Katniss held her breathe as Madge placed her hand in the apparition. She barely got any words out of her dry mouth. "Madge, what does it feel like?"

Like The Exorcist, Madge rotated her head. "I can feel it."

Katniss backed up. "Is it trying to tell you something?"

"Yes, it is."

"What?"

"That the owners need to call the air conditioning man. They have a broken vent."

Madge rolled over laughing. Katniss slapped her. "Jesus H. Christ Madge! I almost peed in my pants."

"Don't touch me there Kit Kat. It might turn me on." They both sat up and laughed. "I'm sorry, I couldn't resist."

They looked up when they heard the creak behind them. Madge saw the outline of a body in front of her. The low attic ceiling forced it to bend over its hulking frame.

"Do, you see what I see?" Madge asked.

Katniss couldn't put two words together, she nodded.

"Who are you? What do you want?"

"I want you to leave us alone," it said with a deep and mournful voice.

"We're sorry, we just wanted to make contact, to find out what you want."

The spirit inched forward. Madge sat up straight, Katniss shrunk away.