The Grey Girl, The Van Tassel Murders

It was quiet for the first ten minutes of the drive. Chloe looked out the window at the scenery going by without really seeing it. She was still furious.

Arthur glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. “Did you know your hair turns a bit red when you’re angry?” he asked. When she did not respond, he added, “As do your eyes.” For that he received a noncommittal grunt. Taking it as a good sign, he plunged on. “You know Alex is an idiot.” Arthur sighed. “But he isn’t completely wrong.” She was paying attention to him now. Her eyes indeed flashed red. He shrugged. “We know the boy in the barn wasn’t the only ghost there.” Chloe’s eyes widened for a moment, but when she didn’t speak, he finished with, “You handled it, but you could have gotten hurt.”

“I didn’t want anyone to get hurt,” Chloe muttered, the blue returning to her eyes. She glanced back out the window. “He was so very angry.”

“You know you can get hurt now, right?” Arthur commented calmly. “Remember what happened to your arm.”

Chloe unconsciously rubbed her left arm. When she had fallen off a ladder and landed on that arm, she had seen the fear on all their faces. They took her to an urgent care center and that is when she saw the panic. She did not have a complete understanding of insurance, but it was something that seemed to frighten Arthur a lot. Aaron had been confident and calm, while Alex kept attempting to distract her from the commotion. Fortunately, her arm wasn’t broken, and after a week in a sling, she was back to 100 percent. It was when she found out how much Aaron had ended up paying for her treatment that she became upset. “Yes, and after what was spent on my treatment, I have to make sure none of you get hurt.”

“Oh, Chloe,” Arthur sighed in a way that reminded her of when her own father had been disappointed. “The boys and I have insurance. If something happens to us, some of that cost is already taken care of.”

“Oh,” she replied in a small voice.

“Since we got you all that information,”—he patted her arm—“the social security number and all that, I’ll be adding you to our insurance.”

She was torn. She was grateful but also slightly annoyed. “I appreciate that. I really do. It’s just …” She didn’t want to hurt him, so she tried to find the right words. “I feel like I’m still trapped.” She did not look at him. She did not want to see the hurt. “I owe you my life. I live at your house, I work for your company. I don’t do anything for myself.”

“Well, at least I understand why Alex loves you so much. You’re an idiot too.” Arthur sighed as he took the turn to the tunnel of trees. She is incredulous, he thought, but he continued as if he hadn’t noticed. “You fought to free yourself. We only helped a little. You live with Alex in the house I gave both of you when I moved out.” They trundled along the potholed, weed-overgrown road. “Your name will be on that deed since we got your social security information. As for working for me, it’s a family business. Whether you’re dating Alex or someone else, you’re part of this family and will always have a place with us.”

When they rolled to a stop in front of the house, the silence in the car continued for several minutes. Chloe had been looking out the window again, but then she swiped at her eyes and turned to throw her arms around Arthur. “Thank you,” she whispered. “I needed some perspective.”

“All right, all right,” he said, giving her arms a squeeze. “Whatever we’re facing isn’t going to resolve itself.”

“Where do you think Mr. Fox is?” Chloe asked. Arthur pointed to the front door and Chloe saw the envelope taped to the window.

“I think we’re on our own.” Arthur headed toward the door while Chloe began clearing vines from the fountain. After a few minutes she had cleared away a section of the pool which held the thinnest layer of slimy, green sludge. Frowning at the neglect, she began to climb up as she pulled vegetation from the decoration. An ornate statue of a woman holding a pitcher was slowly being revealed. The face was serene and extremely pretty. Chloe was staring into those unseeing eyes when she became aware of someone watching her. Slowly, she leaned around the statue. Standing at the edge of the woods was a man in a dark, pinstriped suit. He wore glasses and had close-cropped, dark hair. He seemed nervous. When he saw her looking at him, he raised a finger to his lips. He pointed to the house and shook his head.

“Yeah, Fox says the door is locked, and we should go ahead and break in.” Arthur’s words pulled Chloe’s gaze away from the stranger. Seeing the look of puzzlement on her face, Arthur demanded, What are you looking at?”

“That man …” She pointed to an empty section on the verge of the forest.

“Was it Henry?” Arthur’s voice was tense. He didn’t question that she had, in fact, seen someone.

“No. I haven’t seen this one before.” Chloe closed her eyes, trying to feel the surrounding area. “He wasn’t here before.” She cocked her head to the side. “He’s connected to the house and … somewhere else.” The crunching of tires on the drive distracted Arthur as Chloe tried to see where the man had gone. The tall grass and weeds showed no signs of being disturbed.

“What’s going on?” Aaron asked, closing the door to the truck.

Alex climbed out of the passenger side. He gave a small wave to Chloe as Arthur held out his hand to Chloe. She took it, jumping down from the fountain. Her eyes told Alex what he already knew. They needed to talk.

Before they could approach each other, Chloe saw something shining in the sludge. It turned out to be a key. Instinctively, she knew it would open the door. She held it out to Arthur, who frowned.

“All right everyone, listen up,” Arthur called. “Here’s what we know. This place is haunted.” He pointed over his shoulder with his thumb. “The guy who hired us to do this job is generous and more than just a might bit sketchy.” This received confirming shrugs or nods. “Chloe doesn’t go on our insurance until the end of the month, so for now she’s relegated to the ground. No ladders.” He gave her a wink, causing her to shake her head at him. “Also, Chloe and Alex, figure your stuff out. I need you both on this project.”

“Can we restore something that isn’t infested with ghoulies next time?” Aaron complained.

“Ghosts and ghouls are completely different entities. Ghosts are disembodied souls with no corporeal form, whereas a ghoul is a creature that lives under cemeteries and eats the dead,” Chloe explained as if she were talking to a dim, four-year-old.

“Yeah, thanks, Constantine.” Aaron shrugged. “I do study this stuff, you know.” Nudging his brother, he threw a thumb over his shoulder at Chloe. “Let’s just find someplace without her type next time.”

“Yeah, smart, talented, and attractive really throw him off his game.” Chloe chortled. Arthur and Alex both masked their laughing—barely.

Aaron pulled Chloe into a headlock. “The sister I never wanted,” he grumbled as she hit him on the back. Releasing her, he turned her to face him as Alex and Arthur headed to the house. “Seriously, though. Be careful. Just because I didn’t want a sister doesn’t mean I don’t want you around. Ok?”

She smiled up at him, giving his face a light slap. “You too.”

They joined the others on the porch. A collective breath was held as Arthur turned the key. It clicked, the sound like a gunshot, causing them to jump. Nervous laughter at their reaction was silenced with the turn of the knob. The door creaked and groaned, opening slowly.

Aaron groaned. “Seriously? Why do they have to creak like that?”

The four stood in anticipation. Seconds ticked by, but nothing happened. “That was dramatic.” Chloe laughed nervously. She released Alex’s hand that she had not noticed she had been grasping tightly. She tried to grab his shoulder as he passed into the house. Arthur followed.

Aaron bowed to Chloe. “Age before beauty.”

“Yes, but I have both.” She threw her head back and walked through the door like a queen.

“She’s got you there,” Alex laughed.

Aaron gave him the finger and followed Chloe in. After standing in a tight knot with the others for a moment, Alex spoke again. “Unless we’re going to shuffle as a pack through the whole house, I suggest we get to inspecting.”

When Chloe grabbed his arm and Arthur’s, Aaron waited expectantly, unsure of what she was doing.

“It’s weird,” she said, “but I think we’re alone.” She opened her eyes and looked directly at Alex. Then, looking askance at Aaron, she added, “No ghoulies either.”

He waved her off.

“Alright, let’s get to work,” Arthur ordered.

***

They all met up in the main hall about an hour later. “Doesn’t look like they ever had any electric service in this place,” Arron said.

“Plumbing and water are also pretty much non-existent,” Alex added.

“There doesn’t appear to be any water damage to any of the ceilings,” Arthur told them. “I was in the attic, and again, no sign of any leaks.”

“The cellar is dry, and from what I could tell, the structure down there’s in great shape,” Chloe reported.

“Not a window broken, no doors broken.” Alex looked up at the high ceiling, turning in a circle as he did. “The plaster’s barely peeling. This house is in amazing condition.”

“That’s because Mommy wants me to have a nice place to live, silly.” Emily Van Tassel giggled at them from the open front door. “But you shouldn’t be here.”

The front door slammed shut.