“You’ll all work five days per week, and the schedule for the entire summer is already set. The town is closed to visitors on Mondays, and everyone is on duty over the weekends, which are the busiest days. Copies of the schedule and a map of Garretsville are included in your information packets.”
The ranger nodded toward the older couple. “John and Judy have dealt with just about every situation that can arise, and you can count on them for help should you need it,” Jake added, flashing the couple a grateful smile.
The couple nodded happily.
“Right.” Jake placed his hands on his hips and peered at each of them in turn. “I’ll take you on a tour of the buildings that are open to tourists. Usually we end with the gift shop, but for orientation, that’s where we’ll begin. I’ll show you how to use the register, and each of you will have a chance to practice. It’s era specific, mechanical, not difficult to learn at all. We also keep a couple calculators handy. Sales tax is already figured into the price, so you don’t have to worry about that.”
Jake glanced at each of them in turn. “Besides this cabin, the gift shop is the only other building with electricity. Credit and debit cards are processed the old-fashioned way if the internet signal is too weak to use the card reader. We’ll go over that too.”
He tapped Meredith’s folder where it sat on the coffee table. “You’ll also find talking points in here for each site of interest open to the public. One or two times through the routine, and you’ll do fine. Shall we?”
He strode across the room and opened the door. Meredith and the other three filed out and followed Jake to the building closest to their residence.
“Before we go inside, I want to point out that we keep the grounds maintenance equipment in a locked storage shed in back of the gift shop. All the keys are kept on a hook inside the cabinet nearest the wall phone,” Jake said, gesturing toward their cabin.
“Behind this building you will also find a bear-proof dumpster. All waste that is not recyclable must go into that container. Don’t forget to latch it shut, or you will have a mess to clean up. The bin for recyclables is right beside the dumpster, and it’s labeled. That also latches shut. Garbage and recycling are picked up once a week.” The Ranger climbed the steps to the shop, unlocked the front door and led them inside.
Oliver came up beside her. “You know this town is haunted, right?”
“I did read that.” She gazed around the interior. Magnets, T-shirts, sweatshirts, ball caps, snacks, books on the area’s history, and all the usual touristy stuff already filled the shelves in preparation for the season. The shop also had a glass-doored fridge filled with bottled water, sodas, and juice.
“Do you believe in ghosts?” Oliver asked.
“I like to keep an open mind.” She shrugged even as heat rose to her cheeks. “Do you?”
“Hell yeah.” He waggled his eyebrows. “I’m hoping to have few encounters this summer.”
Ghostly encounters could be dangerous. She’d have to keep an eye on this kid. “Is that what enticed you to spend your summer here—ghostly encounters?”
“Not entirely. I just started UC Berkeley last fall. I’m majoring in environmental science. I want to become involved with our national park systems in some capacity. I figure having experiences like this on my resumé might help. The haunted part is a perk.”
“Ah.” She nodded.
Meredith moved closer to the counter as the ranger demonstrated how to use the old nineteenth-century brass cash register. As she took her turn on the machine, the fine hairs on the back of her neck stood on end, and a pocket of cold air engulfed her. And … here we go.
“Right,” Jake said. “Let’s move on to the saloon, the most popular attraction in Garretsville.”
“Do you feel that?” Oliver whispered beside her.
The ranger and the Schultes were already walking out the door. Meredith glanced back, and that’s when she saw him. The spectral form of a man stood in front of the counter, staring directly at her. Once again the disturbing mix of anxiety and anticipation took hold, and every single nerve tingled with awareness. The problem with fate was that it scared the crap out of her, and somehow she knew this was the ghost she was meant to help.
He wore the rough clothing of a miner, and he had a bandana tied loosely around his neck. His hair was a riot of curls. The poor guy had been very good looking in life, and he appeared to be very young, maybe her age, in his mid-twenties. No doubt he’d broken a few hearts when he’d been alive. How very sad that he hadn’t lived long enough to have much of a life at all.
His gaze met hers and held. “You see me?”
“Do I feel the cold?” She nodded slightly to Mr. Ghost and turned away. “Yep.”
“There really are ghosts in Garretsville,” Oliver said, his tone awe-filled.
“You hear me, lassie?” The ghost followed her out the door.
His words whispering through her mind had a distinctive Irish lilt. Meredith nodded again, trying to make it look as if she meant it for Oliver, but glancing sideways at the being who moved along beside her. “So I’ve heard.” Ha, I’m talking in code to a ghost.
“I actually feel his presence.” Oliver raked his fingers through his hair and huffed out a laugh. “This is amazing.”
“What makes you think the ghost is a he?” Meredith cut Oliver a quick look. Was it possible he had a lesser degree of ability similar to hers? If so, he might be willing to help her send the Garretsville spirits on their way. Meredith and her older sister often worked together when convincing recalcitrant spirits to move on. So did Aunt Beth and Meredith’s father.
“I don’t know.” He shrugged. “A gut feeling, or maybe it’s deductive reasoning.
