Haunting in a Winter Wonderland: A Ghost Hunter Cozy Mystery Short Story (A Ghostly Haunted Tour Guide Mystery) Read online

  Walking in a Haunted Wonderland

  A Haunted Tour Guide Short Story

  By Rose Pressey

  All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form, (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the copyright owner. This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, incidents, places, and brands are the product of the author’s imagination and not to be construed as real. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

  Index

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 1

  During December, January, and February I put the haunted tour in Devil’s Moon, Kentucky on hiatus. Because, well, it was too darn cold, and most people weren’t willing to go out in that type of weather for a haunted tour. Scary fun or not. However, my best friend Tammy White suggested that I have a special one-night tour and guide people around the streets to enjoy all the festive Christmas decorations and twinkling lights.

  Mixing a little bit of Halloween with Christmas, I suppose— a spooky Christmas? So that was what I had called it. Tour the streets of Devil’s Moon for a Spooky Christmas was printed on the fliers I’d put up around town. Tammy had even volunteered to pass out hot cocoa to the tour-goers tonight. Wasn’t she the best? Tonight, Tammy worked her part-time gig at the local tavern. Since the old building was haunted, naturally it was part of my tour. Therefore, it would be convenient for her to take part by handing out the warm treats to everyone.

  Needless to say, I was excited about the tour tonight. A bit of snow had fallen earlier this morning, making the perfect winter wonderland backdrop for this evening. Christmas was in one week and the whole town had shifted to full holiday mode. Of course, we’d decked out the library like a winter wonderland too.

  Bilson Library, a large Victorian-Gothic style building, was a stunning beauty on the inside and out. The stone and brick structure had a tower set in the center with a steeply-pitched roof finished and ornamental gables. The haunting façade fit right in with the haunting on the interior.

  Ornamented stained glass decorated the upper part of the windows, allowing hints of yellow, blue, and red to paint the room in streaks of muted colors on sunny days. A grand oak balustrade staircase sat in the center of the room.

  Tables in the middle of the room to my right had small green and gold lamps for light to read by with wooden chairs all around. Beyond that was the mystery, reference, and other sections. On the other side of the room was the romance section. Beyond that was the computers and then down the long hallway was my office. Upstairs were more books of course along conference rooms and the children’s reading room.

  Multiple trees on each of the three floors of the building. Along with lighted green garland adorning the grand staircase banister. Wreaths with big red bows were hung on all the windows and doors. We’d even made a Christmas tree in the main lobby out of stacked books. That had been Tammy’s idea.

  Everyone was in the Christmas spirit. And when I meant everyone, I meant everyone, including the resident ghost. Annie Gibson was a former librarian of Bilson Library and she was still hanging around in spirit form. Speaking of Annie, she’d just sent me a text message.

  The library looks so festive with all the decorations. I love it.

  “I love them too, Annie,” I said.

  Yes, she liked to use electronic devices to communicate. She was quite the tech-savvy ghost. She had died well before any of this stuff was invented too. I was shocked at how quickly she had picked up on all of it. I mean, my grandmother still couldn’t text message without adding something she wasn’t supposed to. I couldn’t tell you how many times she had text me her grocery list.

  I’d seen Annie not long ago just as she’d disappeared around one of the romance section stacks. Romance was Annie’s favorite. Annie wore a high-collared, full skirt ivory dress with lace detail. Gray ringlets dangled on the sides of her face with the rest of her hair pulled up into a huge bun on top of her head. Only I saw Annie. If anyone spotted her roaming the library, they’d realize right away she wasn’t from this time period.

  Annie wasn’t the only resident of the library. Jane Austen, the fluffy black cat, had adopted us. She’d strolled in one day and never left. Jane Austen loved to lounge in the sunshine while watching patrons search for books. Plus, she loved her tuna-flavored treats.

  I wasn’t sure how the idea of this tour would turn out considering that people usually took a carriage ride around town to look at all the pretty lights. And that was a fabulous way to see them, but I felt like my tour was going to be a bit different. I would take people inside the buildings to see all the decorations that everyone had put up, not just the outside lights. Plus, there was that hot cocoa bonus. Not to mention the stories that I would relate to everyone.

  So far, I had a good amount of people signed up for the tour considering it was just one night. Fifteen people were coming along. I might need some help. Perhaps Brannon might be able to accompany me for tonight’s tour. My boyfriend Detective Brannon Landon worked for the Devil’s Moon Police Department. He was into the paranormal just as much as me. His side gig was a paranormal investigator. And let me tell you, he was good at it too.

  The library buzzed with activity. A few residents from town had dressed up in old fashioned attire and were singing Christmas carols by the front doors. Their outfits were complete with bonnets, muffs, and the men even wore top hats. It was a magical scene. And even though the library was supposed to be quiet, this was one exception that we allowed. It seemed as if the patrons were enjoying the mini-concert too.

  That soon changed though when an older woman approached the reference desk. I’d seen her before. We’d had conversations before too. Mostly they weren’t pleasant. Mrs. Sullivan was always complaining about the noise. People could think and she would complain that they were actually talking. It was like she’d read thoughts or something. So when I saw that she approaching the reference desk, I realized I would have a problem on my hands.

  Mrs. Sullivan’s blue-gray curly hair reached just below her earlobes, exposing the tiny pearl drops on her ears. She wore a black and white floral-print dress under her black wool coat. The black pumps on her feet looked as if they might not be the warmest choice of shoes on a day like today.

  “Hello, Mrs. Sullivan, how may I help you today?” I asked with a smile.

  “Why in heaven’s name do you have that ruckus going on in the library?” She gestured toward the carolers.

  “Well, it’s for everyone to enjoy the Christmas spirit. I realize it’s loud and this is the library where it’s supposed to be quiet so that people can read, but we thought this one exception would be all right.”

  “It’s most certainly not all right. I demand that you get rid of this nonsense immediately.” She shook her fist.
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  “Aren’t you enjoying the Christmas carols?” I asked. “It’s just for a little bit longer.”

  “No, I’m most certainly not enjoying the Christmas carols. I want no part of it.” Anger thickened her voice. “And if you won’t get rid of them, I will.”

  “That seems unnecessary,” I said.

  She glared without answering and then turned to walk away.

  “All this holiday cheer nonsense,” she mumbled as she walked away.

  What would she do to the carolers? She said if I didn’t get rid of them, she would. Would she really? I suppose I had to take her threat seriously. However, even though she’d given her warning, I had no intention of allowing the carolers to leave. They were only going to be here for a few more minutes. Surely, she wouldn’t pick a fight in those remaining few minutes.

  I couldn’t imagine petite Mrs. Sullivan kicking out the carolers. Though I didn’t want a fight on my hands. Perhaps I could imagine the scene. Mrs. Sullivan would grab the carolers by their bonnets, slam them to the floor, and then wrestle with them until it spilled outside the library doors. Some of the carolers would continue singing while all of this took place. Maybe they’d sing “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” during this wrestling match. I chuckled to myself at the thought. Nope, I didn’t want that to happen. Plus, I was pretty sure that the library board wouldn’t be amused with it either.

  Glancing over, I spotted Mrs. Sullivan standing in the corner of the room with her arms crossed in front of her and a scowl on her face. She glared at the Christmas carolers. It looked as if she might charge at them at any moment. Perhaps I should go ahead and get rid of them.

  I looked at the time clock on the wall. Ten more minutes. That was all I needed. Besides, I was enjoying the carols. It was putting me in the Christmas spirit, and that was exactly what I needed in preparation for tonight’s tour. I looked over again and realized Mrs. Sullivan had moved close to the reference desk again. Uh-oh.

  “I’ll see to it that nothing like this happens again,” she said with narrowed eyes.

  “Mrs. Sullivan—”

  She held her hand up and cut off my words. Without uttering another bum humbug, she marched toward the library doors. Was she leaving or going to attack the carolers? I rushed from around the reference desk and followed after her. Maybe it was just my imagination, but the carolers seemed to sing louder now. Wow, Mrs. Sullivan moved fast. The carolers watched us. They looked a bit confused about what was happening.

  So far so good though. Mrs. Sullivan hadn’t attacked. She reached out for the door handle, but that all changed in a blink of an eye. That woman sure was spry. She darted to the right and snatched the sheet music from a caroler’s hands. Mrs. Sullivan then proceeded to dash right out the library door. Immediately the singing stopped. Everything screeched to a halt.

  “Hey, bring that back,” the caroler yelled.

  I ran out the library door. “Mrs. Sullivan, what are you doing? You can’t take sheet their music.”

  She didn’t respond as she kept running down the path toward the sidewalk. Well, it was more of a shuffle, but she was still moving fast.

  I had reached her side now. “You have to give that back.”

  “No,” she snapped.

  “Let me have that.” I tried to grab the paper from her hand, but she yanked it away.

  “Don’t touch me or I’ll call the police,” she barked.

  Okay, this wasn’t worth the sheet of paper. I’d just let her have it. I stopped and watched as Mrs. Sullivan marched down the sidewalk. I assumed she was going home, but maybe she was going to the police department to file a report. Then again, she could be going to speak with the library board. This had definitely escalated. Why was she being Ms. Scrooge?

  “What was that all about?” Tammy asked as she ran out the library doors.

  The carolers stood behind Tammy at the door as well. I was sure they wanted their sheet music back. Tammy crossed her arms in front of her to fight off the cold wind. Of course, she’d stepped outside without her coat, and the dark green dress she wore wasn’t providing enough warmth from the blistery outdoor conditions. The color of the dress looked fabulous with her new long blonde hairstyle, though. Tammy altered her hairstyle more than a chameleon changed colors.

  I tossed my hands up. “Mrs. Sullivan doesn’t like the carolers.”

  The carolers heard what I said and shook their heads in disappointment.

  “I guess that was her way of getting them to stop,” I added.

  Immediately they started singing again. I guess one sheet of music missing wasn’t going to stop them. That made me happy though. The show would continue.

  “I wouldn’t believe it if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes,” Tammy said as we walked back up the steps.

  I glanced over to see if Mrs. Sullivan was returning. She wasn’t there, but I noticed a spirit standing by the big oak tree. I knew it was a spirit because the dark shadow had no features. It was just a silhouette.

  “It was quite a sight, huh?” I said as we stepped back inside.

  Of course, people in the library watched me now. I guess they thought Mrs. Sullivan might return to take the other carolers’ sheet music.

  “I hope she doesn’t complain to the library board,” I said.

  “You know she will,” Tammy said.

  Chapter 2

  The ruckus had died down and the carolers had gone. I was currently upstairs in the periodical section when I received a text message. This time it wasn’t Annie.

  I think you need to see this.

  Uh-oh. Tammy had been downstairs at the reference desk when I saw her last. I hoped whatever she had to show me wasn’t serious, but her wording seemed odd. I placed the last book on the shelf and hurried down the staircase. Well, not too fast because I didn’t want to fall. When I rounded the corner, Tammy was staring my way with a grim expression on her face. This didn’t bode well.

  “What’s wrong?” I asked as I approached.

  She handed me a small sheet of white paper. I frowned but took it from her.

  Written on the page: You should cancel your Christmas haunted tour. I won’t warn you again.

  My eyes widened. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “This isn’t good, Rip,” she said. “You should call Brannon right away. This dirtbag needs to know you’re not going to put up with being threatened.”

  “It could just be a joke,” I said.

  “Who wants to play such a joke like that? Either way, they need to be taught a lesson,” she said with a pump of her fist.

  “Do you think Mrs. Sullivan left this? She was pretty mad about the carolers,” I said.

  “I haven’t seen her in here again. And I’ve been on the lookout,” Tammy said.

  I pulled out my phone and dialed Brannon and right away.

  “I was just stopping by to see you,” he said when he answered. “I’m pulling up now.”

  “It’s a good thing because I have something to show you.” My voice wavered a bit even though I tried not to show my concern.

  “Sounds like what you have to show me isn’t good,” he said.

  “I don’t know what to think. I’ll see you in a second,” I said.

  “What did he say?” Tammy asked when I ended the call.

  “He’s almost here.” I released a deep breath.

  “Thank goodness,” she said.

  Typically, Brannon had a smile on his face when he entered the library, but after my warning about showing him something, now his expression was kind of dejected. He was still handsome as ever though with his short dark hair, beautiful eyes, and dazzling smile. But enough about that. This was something serious. Brannon stepped up to the desk. A few snowflakes remained on his dark coat. Under the coat he wore his black slacks, white shirt and red tie. I handed him the paper. He raised an eyebrow but took it.

  He looked at me after reading it. “Where did you get this?”

  “That’s a good question.
Tammy found it,” I said.

  “Where did you find it?” He turned his attention to Tammy.

  “It was right here on the reference desk.” Tammy pointed.

  “Did you check the cameras?” he asked.

  “Not yet,” I said. “I had a slight incident with Mrs. Sullivan. You know the grumpy lady who lives on Second Street?”

  He shook his head. “She’s called the police on several neighbors for Christmas decorations. She wants us to take the decorations down.”

  “Why does she want them down?” Tammy asked. “Why does it bother her if neighbors have decorations up?”

  “She claims the lights are too bright,” Brannon said. “So what was the incident with Mrs. Sullivan?”

  “The Christmas carolers were here,” I said.

  “Oh no.” Brannon shook his head.

  “When I wouldn’t tell them to stop singing, she grabbed their sheet music.”

  He sighed. “Okay, we need to find who left this. If Mrs. Sullivan did this, then we’ll see her on video. I’ll talk with her.”

  I took out my phone and pulled up the app that allowed me to check the cameras for the library. “I didn’t see that note when I went upstairs.”

  “And I didn’t see it when I was standing here. When you left, I walked over to the mystery section for a moment. The person had to have left it then,” Tammy said.

  At least we had a time point to narrow it down. I fast-forward to that moment and then I noticed the figure approaching the reference desk. She placed the note to right there on the counter. The only problem was the woman was wearing a black cloak.