The madman wielding the chainsaw runs our way wearing a hockey mask and looking every bit the terror he’s attempting to be.
My voice shrills as I hop onto Jasper as if he were a pole, and the next thing I know, he’s carrying me.
The maniac takes off to terrorize a group of girls, and we watch as they scatter like birds in his presence.
Jasper’s chest vibrates with a laugh, and I can’t help but frown up at him.
“Oh, so you think this is funny?” I ask while poking him in the chest. “I may never sleep again.” Although at the moment that has more to do with whoever broke into my house and planted a haunted doll on my bed, but that’s not the point.
“It’s not funny.” He squeezes his eyes shut, the laughter still caught in this throat. “Okay, it’s a little funny. You do realize this is all fake, right?”
“That’s exactly what I was saying about those haunted dolls right up until all the power along coastal Maine was knocked out for hours. I’m telling you, something wicked is in the wind, and it’s in the ballroom at the inn, too.”
“It’s been twenty minutes. Let’s go see if there’s anything wicked on that haunted hayride.”
Jasper whisks us off in that direction and, to our surprise, we find Georgie and Juni in line to board the haunted ride as well. They’ve both donned capes of some sort and look ready to scare up some screams with the best of them.
Soon, we’re all loaded onto the back of a flatbed, hitched to a trailer, furnished with hay bales that create a cushy yet prickly place to sit—with Juni, Georgie, Jasper, and me situating ourselves on the end.
“Guess what, Bizzy?” Georgie plucks something out from the cloak she has draped around her, and before I know it, that haunted porcelain doll that’s embedded her way into my nightmares is thrust in my face.
A viral scream rips from me, and then soon enough just about everyone unfortunate enough to be on this haunted ride is screaming right along with me as the giant doll glows in that pale muslin dress she’s wearing.
“Why in the heck did you bring her along?” My voice is still shrill with both surprise and a touch of anger.
“She looked lonely.” Georgie gets right to cradling the pint-sized terror. “Besides, I wanted to be the one to break the news to her.”
Juni butts her shoulder to her psychotic mother. “What news is that?”
Georgie makes a face. “I’ve broken down and conceded to Bizzy’s demands. I’ve got a bunch of fall-themed quilts coming to the ballroom tomorrow because Bizzy wants to give the little orphan girls the boot.”
I shoot a quick look to Jasper and shake my head before reverting to Georgie.
“If the haunted dolls mean that much to you, Georgie, go ahead and keep them until the end of the month. I would never ask you to remove them. But I won’t lie, I think the quilts are going to be a welcome relief.”
“You mean it?” Georgie looks thrilled to have the heresy continue.
“Yup,” I say. “Just keep Annabeth away from me. No offense, but she is a little creepy.”
Georgie scowls my way. “Don’t listen to her, Annabeth.” She pets the doll’s stiff red curls. “Bizzy was a little creepy kid herself. I’ve just never wanted to hurt her feelings and say it out loud.”
“Yeah.” Juni sneers my way. “And not only that, but now that she’s an adult, she hates kids.”
About three different mothers look my way.
“I don’t hate kids,” I’m quick to assure them. “I plan on having a few myself.” I shrug up at Jasper.
I say we get home and practice. He waggles his brows.
“Something tells me our night should have started and ended there,” I whisper.
The tractor makes an abrupt stop and Annabeth goes flying into the air, sending just about everyone stuck on this contraption screaming in terror. Jasper reaches up and snatches her to safety before she accidentally falls onto someone and cracks their head open—most likely mine.
“Give her to me,” I say, lackluster, as if acquiescing to the inevitable. “I’ll hold onto her extra tight and make sure she doesn’t wreak anymore havoc.” I settle her onto my lap for the remainder of the journey, and not shockingly, nothing is nearly as scary on this adventure as she is. The ride comes to a conclusion, and we disembark with the rest of the passengers.
“How was that for a romantic ride filled with a few chills thrown in for good measure?” I ask, rattling Annabeth in Jasper’s direction.
Juni shakes Georgie by the shoulders. “Check out the hot guy in the hockey mask.”
Georgie cranes her neck. “The one holding the chainsaw?”
“That’s him.” Juni links arms with her mother. “You know what that means?”
“He’s going to chop up our bodies and make a stew out of us?”
I think Georgie has it right.
“No,” Juni wails. “It means he’s employed. And believe me, I’ve dated a gardener or two before. They really know how to use their hands.”
They take off in hot pursuit of the masked man, and as soon as he sees them coming, he turns and darts the other way.
Smart gardener.
“Wait a minute,” I shout up over the music and noise. “Georgie! You forgot Annabeth!”
Jasper slips his arm around my waist. “Something tells me they knew exactly what they were doing.”
“I guess we should take her back to the exhibit, but that’s the last thing I want to do. I’m ready for bed.”
“I like how you think. Let’s leave the doll in the living room.”
“Fish, Sherlock, and Sprinkles may never forgive us,” I say.
“We’ll take our chances.”
We head for home, and I groan as we head down the cobbled walkway that leads to our cottage.
“Why does it sound as
