“Just tossing it out there, but the Irish seemed to have had a very hard time of it. Maybe their souls evolved to be more settled and accepting than most?”
“Could be.”
“I have a question involving the ghosts in the Atwater house.”
“Go on,” Cid said, sitting down.
“How come they are trapped, but Faye can move in and out?”
“I don’t know. It could have something to do with the little boxes we saw in the four corners of the attic, or the summoning circle, both or neither.”
“You’re not helping.”
“I need more information. I sent the picture of the floor to Audrey. I may ask Faye to chat up Jon and find out what went down at the house prior to him dying,” Cid said.
“You may ask?”
“I think it’s Kiki’s place. Faye and we are coworkers. Kiki is her boss.”
“Division of labor woes,” Jesse said. “You gave Kiki quite a piece of your mind tonight.”
“I may have overstepped,” Cid said. “I finally understand the problem Mia has with Burt, and well, all of us, when she feels that we are walking into danger that can be avoided.”
“Are you outgrowing Kiki as a boss?” Jesse asked.
“Not when it comes to a project this large, but I’m having problems holding my tongue when she’s lying to herself and to us. It’s all about the bonus. As much as I would love to be wrong, I fear Kiki has her mind set on us completing this job no matter the cost.”
“I don’t get that vibe, Cid. Maybe you’ve finally found a reason not to be so cavalier with your life and you’re starting to see shadows when they are just contrasting hues.”
“I hope you’re right.”
Kiki stared out the window at the house from the darkened room. Sally had already fallen asleep in the twin bed next to hers. Kiki had slid out and was headed to the common room when something caught her eye outside. It could have been an owl or a bat, but something drew her eye. She had been standing, trying to see if the creature would fly by again when the house caught her attention.
It stood silhouetted by the moon. It wasn’t a menacing façade like when a gothic revival went wrong. This Tudor Revival style red brick and Bedford carved limestone building was tasteful, although incongruent, with the eastern hillsides dotted with barns and the small town across the lake. It screamed look at me, yet no one could. The high fences and surrounding trees hid the home from the well-maintained rural road.
Kiki had intended to go and view it from the town across the lake, but she felt somehow the owner would know and he would negate the very lucrative contract. She didn’t need to be sensitive to see the shadows that moved through the house. Some perched at the windows staring over at her, daring her to blink. Kiki had read Jesse’s report on the attic of the home. The carved boxes at each corner were a mystery, but she would stress it was not one for them to solve.
Having Cid on this renovation was a mistake. Jesse stressed that if the place was a hodgepodge of different construction crews, Cid would be the best finishing man to sort it out, and Kiki agreed with him. But Cid’s morality comments disturbed Kiki. She didn’t really care who this house was haunted, owned, or possessed by. The brief was to ignore the ghosts and finish the renovation, pronto. The earlier this was done, the better for everyone.
“If you sigh any louder, Cid is going to think we’re enjoying ourselves up here,” Sally said from her bed.
“The man does have ears on him.”
“I’m surprised you’re up considering the day you’ve had,” Sally said.
“Too many things going through my mind right now,” Kiki confessed.
“I could make you a hot toddy,” Sally offered. “Lend you an ear or a shoulder.”
“Don’t take this the wrong way, but we have nothing in common. I’m not a girly-girl. We share a room, and that’s pretty much that.”
“I fought in a war and you’re calling me a girly-girl?” Sally questioned.
“What I mean is that I keep my concerns to myself. I don’t look for the first handy group of girls or guys, for that matter, to download them on.”
“It’s not healthy, but I’ve picked up the vibe, Boss,” Sally said and rolled over and put her back to Kiki.
Kiki walked out of the room.
Sally sat up and punched her pillow a few times. “Girl, you’ve got to make better job choices.”
Sally’s phone lit up with a message. She picked it up and read:
You can’t hear me, but I can hear you. I would like to tell you that you’re the most dynamic and wonderful woman I have ever met. Don’t let Kiki sour you on the adventure we’re on. I’ll do my best to bring all of us safely through this. Love, Cid.
Sally saved the message and sent it into the Cloud so she could download it onto her computer. “My first love letter,” she said and sighed.
Cid smiled when he heard her. She texted back a few heart emojis. He knew how moved this tough girl would have to be to do that and treasured each little heart with his own.
Chapter Eight
“Ghosts feed off energy,” Cid began, “It can be from your batteries, and that includes cellphones. It can take the electricity from an appliance plugged into an electrical socket, such as those mega lights we use. Also, those big heaters we used when we’re drying plaster.”
“How are we going to work without energy?” Wayne asked.
Cid looked at the group of contractors. He saw the intent look on Sally’s face as she watched him. Kiki’s face was noncommittal.
“You can use
