Ghost Writer - Pandora Pine Page 0,71

the second and third floors had five windows. There was no access to the left side of the wing.

“Right. There are only three windows up here instead of five. Four bedrooms and a bathroom.” Cope headed toward the side of the house that appeared to be walled up.

“Also, where’s the staircase to the widow’s walk?” Jude started opening bedroom doors.

In Colonial times, widow’s walks were used to provide a view of the ocean, so wives of fishermen would be able to see ship masts on the horizon. “I’m not seeing a way to get up there either.” Cope was perplexed.

“Maybe the way up there was blocked off after Geneva Beecher jumped?” Jude was knocking on the wall, presumably looking for a hollow spot. “Here it is.” Jude started knocking in a close circle around the spot he’d found. There didn’t seem to be a way to get past the wall.

Whatever had been going on up here needed to be kept secret. Cope was certain there would also be a secret way to get into that space. He walked into the bathroom, covered under a blanket of dust. The light did little to brighten the room. Pulling open the linen closet, Cope saw it was empty. What was strange about the structure was that it was deeper than any normal closet should have been in a house this old. “Jude!”

Footsteps pounded toward the bathroom. “What is it? Are you okay?” Jude was breathless when he reached the bathroom. Peg was right behind him.

“I’m fine, but this closet is wrong.” Cope backed up so Jude could take his place.

“What do you mean wrong?”

“It’s definitely deeper than the rest of the closets in this house. Look at the shelves. What’s that mechanism?” Peg pointed to what looked like a hinge on the bottom of the top shelf.

Jude stepped up to the closet. “These shelved are built to collapse.” Kneeling down to the lowest shelf, he slid a lock back. When he let the shelf go, the hinge pulled the wood against the left wall. He repeated the same procedure with the other shelves.

“Is that a door in the back?” Cope noticed it when Jude had knelt in front of him. It wasn’t a full-sized door. He would have to bend over to walk through without hitting his head.

Turning the knob there was a bit of resistance before the door creaked open. Jude turned back to look at Cope.

“I’ll be right behind you.” Cope didn’t know if he was saying that to reassure himself or his husband.

Jude stepped through the door. Cope heard him gasp.

What the hell was in there? Cope wasn’t getting any hints from his gift. Stepping through the door, he took a deep breath.

Standing in the center of the room was the spirit of Geneva Beecher.

32

Jude

Jude couldn’t believe his eyes. He blinked several times, and had even given himself a pinch, but standing before him was a beautiful young woman who was dressed in a flowing high-waisted dress with a matching hat and lacy gloves. All she was missing was a parasol and her outfit would be complete.

“I can see her. How is that possible?” Jude whispered when Cope joined him.

“I don’t know.” Cope turned his attention back to the woman. “Are you Geneva Beecher?”

“I am, Copeland.” She dropped into a gentle curtsey. “I heard you reaching out to me yesterday, but I cannot leave this place.”

“The house or this room?” Jude asked.

“This room, Jude.” Geneva’s manner was genteel. She was the picture of grace and elegance. “To answer your earlier query, I am not sure why you can see me. I’ve not seen or spoken with another person in quite some time.”

A soft gasp came from behind them. Jude turned to see Peg looking like she’d seen a ghost, which, of course, she had. “Peg, this is Miss Geneva Beecher.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you at long last.” Geneva’s smile was genuine.

Peg returned the smile. “Are you the spirit banging at all hours of the night?”

Geneva cast a furtive glance behind her. “No, that’s not me.”

Jude could tell she was reluctant. They didn’t have time to tiptoe around what was happening in this house. “Miss Geneva, we are in desperate need of your help. There are some questions I need to ask you that are delicate.”

The young woman blushed. Jude was waiting for her to whip out a hand fan. “I understand and will do my best to be brave.”

“Are you trapped here in this house?” Jude began.

“Only by choice.”