The Ghost of Jeopardy Belle Read online

  I smiled at her. “Yes, they’re very nice.”

  Addison smiled back, but her expression changed. Daddy always said she would make a horrible poker player. She could never hide her emotions. “I’m sorry, Harper.” She grabbed my arm gently. “I tried to get you a pair too, but you know how Grandfather is. Maybe if you apologized to him, he’d like you again. I tried to explain it to him, how hard it was to live with Momma, but I think…I think you really hurt him. I mean, you did beat him with that poker.”

  I couldn’t believe my ears. It was too early in the day to be stupefied twice. “He was beating Momma, Addison. How can you take his side? You’re my sister.”

  “I know, and I love you, Harper, but you can be so strong-willed sometimes.”

  “Where did you hear that?” I asked suspiciously. I needn’t have wondered. Mr. Daughdrill pulled up in his long black Master DeLuxe and rolled his window down.

  “Would you like a ride to school, Addison? I’m going to town. I’ll be happy to take you so you don’t get caught in the rain.”

  “Sure,” she said, but then she looked at me. “But can Harper go too? Like you said, it might rain and all.”

  He cast a steely look at me. Now, Mr. Daughdrill would have made a fine poker player. You never knew what he was thinking. Never. “Of course, dear. Hop in, girls. You wouldn’t want to be late. That’s not the Daughdrill way. Your mother was never late for school. Not one day.”

  “We’re not Daughdrills. We’re Belles,” I murmured as I walked to the car. Addison shot me an ugly grimace, and I rolled my eyes. I climbed in the back seat and listened to the radio as we pulled up into the schoolyard. I immediately began searching for Aunt Dot’s convertible but didn’t see it. I wondered if Loxley would be in school today, but I didn’t dare ask Mr. Daughdrill. When we arrived at school, I got out of the car and gave a half-hearted thank-you.

  “Harper, a word of advice.” He waved me toward him, but I didn’t step any closer. “Don’t ruin things for Addison. She has a real future; she’s such a lovely young lady. It’s not attractive for a girl to be jealous of her sister.”

  “I’m not jealous of my sister. And I have three of them, remember?” Cars were pulling in behind his, and I took another step back.

  “Stay out of trouble, Harper. We can’t afford another scandal. I’ll see you girls after school. Make sure you are here and ready to go home.”

  I stared after him as he pulled off. Addison was already in the schoolhouse; she’d left me behind, probably anxious to show off her new shoes. I guess I really couldn’t blame her. We rarely had new things. But at what cost? Why would he do that? I couldn’t imagine Mr. Daughdrill doing anything that didn’t benefit him directly.

  The day dragged by. The only bright spot was a surprise invitation to go fishing with Benny and his little cousin Angie. I agreed to meet them at the river at four o’clock but had second thoughts later. I hadn’t been to the river since Jeopardy disappeared. Why was it nobody said her name anymore? I had that deputy’s phone number somewhere, and I made up my mind then and there to call him. Momma wasn’t going to do it, and I wanted my sister to come home.

  I waited outside the school after the bell, but Mr. Daughdrill didn’t show up, and neither did my sister. It would be very much like him to leave me behind as a way to teach me a lesson. Yes, very much like him.

  “Hey, Arnette?” I caught my friend as she walked out with her steady, a tall, skinny kid named Roger. “Have you seen Addison?”

  “She left a few minutes ago. With your grandfather, I think. Did you see them, Roger? I ducked inside to get my sweater.”

  Roger squinched his eyes and said, “You know, I think she did leave in that big black car. The new one.”

  “Was she alone?” I asked.

  He shook his head. “No, her friend Bobbie Ann was with her. Need a ride? Did they leave you behind, Harper?”

  “Yes, please. I guess she forgot all about me.”

  Arnette rolled her eyes. “Sisters. I’m glad I have Roger here. Let’s take Harper home. It’s on the way to my house.”

  “Sure thing, sweetie.”

  Arnette shook her head. I could tell she didn’t like his nickname for her, but at least he was a nice guy. The ride home was long, not because the company was bad but because I was worried about my sisters. Loxley was with Aunt Dot, absent again today. Addison was off with our grandfather, and Momma was probably drinking herself to death. And God only knew where Jeopardy was. I didn’t want to believe she was really a ghost. That would mean she was dead, right?

  We pulled into the driveway, and I got out of the truck before it stopped. “Thanks, you two. I’ll buy you both a Coke sometime.”

  “Sounds great. Bye, Harper,” Arnette said with a smile.

  “Bye,” I said as I walked up the steps of Summerleigh. I rarely came in the front door, but it was unlocked and I walked right inside.

  I walked through the Great Room into the parlor. My grandfather was lounging in the red velvet chair, the radio on low, the newspaper in his lap. He sucked on his pipe and smiled at me. I didn’t return the smile. “Where’s Addison?”

  As if she’d heard me, Addie walked into the room from the bedroom hallway. “Hey, Harper. Just the person I’m looking for. What do you think? Pink sweater with the green dress or the blue one? I’m not sure. Grandfather says pink, but I kind of like the blue.” She strutted around in her new dress and spun around for our grandfather, who complimented her on the color…and the fit.

  “I don’t know,” I grumbled at her as I headed into the kitchen to find something to eat. Momma was on the phone, obviously with Aunt Dot, and I tried not to eavesdrop. When I opened the refrigerator, I almost passed out. It was loaded with food, a nice chunk of cheese, milk, butter and fruit galore. I couldn’t help but notice that these were all Addison’s favorites.

  “You bring her home, Dot, or I’m going to call the police.” She paused and then said, “No, he’s not. I haven’t seen him. Now bring me my daughter.” She slammed the phone down and stubbed out her skinny cigarette in her seashell-shaped ashtray. “There you are. I’ve got some chicken laid out for supper. Are you up to frying it? I need to go lie down. I can feel a headache coming on.”

  “No. I already have plans.”

  “Well, those plans will have to wait. Someone needs to cook supper, Harper.” She walked out of the kitchen with her hand on her forehead.

  I sighed, but nobody heard me. Same old, same old. Just then, I heard Ben calling me from the screen door. “Hey, we’ve been waiting for you at the river. You ready to go?”

  I reached for a few strawberries and put the pint back in the refrigerator. I wasn’t cooking supper. I wasn’t doing any of it. I was going fishing. “You got a pole for me?”

  “Yep, and it’s ready to go.” Ben smiled and showed his missing tooth. I liked him more by the minute. “All right. Let’s go.”

  We only caught two small fish, but it wasn’t a total loss. Ben was quiet and his little cousin even quieter. It was a nice evening tossing lines in the water. We talked a little, more than I thought we would. I didn’t come back until after dark, and I was bone-tired. I had homework, but somehow, it didn’t seem that important anymore. They must have managed supper because although the kitchen was tidy when I came in the back door, I could smell the remnants of fried chicken. I opened the refrigerator hoping to find a piece, but there wasn’t any left. Mr. Daughdrill must have stayed for dinner. I grabbed some more strawberries and headed to my room. But then I heard the pop of Momma’s lighter and saw her face illuminated in the yellow light.

  “Awful late, Harper Louise. I guess you were out with a boy.”

  “It’s not that late. Only nine o’clock. I lost track of time is all.”

  “It’s easy to do when you’re in someone’s arms,” she said as she spat a stray bit of tobacco leaf out of her mouth and eyed me. She had her arm crooked over the back of her chair. I couldn’t smell any alcohol, but I ha
d to be careful. Any minute, Momma could turn on you. I glanced around carefully and spotted a skillet on the stove. She followed my eyes and tilted her head up.

  “I wasn’t in anyone’s arms. I’m only fifteen, Momma. I went fishing is all.”

  She took a deep drag off her skinny cigarette and said in a quiet voice, “You’ll have to sleep upstairs tonight. Mr. Daughdrill is sleeping in your room. I expect he will sleep in there for a few nights at least.”

  “What? Why is he here?”

  She didn’t answer my question. “I left you some blankets on the couch. I guess you could sleep on it if you don’t mind the smell. It really needs to be cleaned, Harper.”

  “Why is he in my bed? Don’t you remember how he treated you?”

  “That’s all over now, and I’ve forgiven him. And you should too, dear. It’s what’s best for us all. Now, don’t make a fuss. Go to sleep. You have school in the morning, in case you forgot. I swear, you behave more like your sister every day.”

  I stomped my foot. “Good! I want to be like her. And why can’t you say her name, Momma? Do you remember her name? Jeopardy! Why can’t you say her name?” I was shouting now, but there was nothing I could do about it.

  “Of course I do. You think I could forget her? You think I don’t see her all the time? I wish…I wish a lot of things, but wishing don’t make it reality. Go to bed, Harper.”

  “I’m not sleeping on the couch.”

  “You can’t sleep with Addison. She’s ill and can’t be disturbed.”

  “So you want me to go upstairs and sleep with the ghosts, then?” I wasn’t joking. The idea of sleeping in Jeopardy’s castle room or any other room on that floor frightened me. Jep had always been braver than me.

  “You know perfectly well your sister would never hurt you. Go to bed.”

  And in that moment, I knew Momma believed Jeopardy was dead. But why did she think that? I lay on the couch first, but it was so uncomfortable that I couldn’t sleep. I could smell Mr. Daughdrill’s pipe tobacco too, and the odor made me squeamish. I tiptoed to Addison’s room. I could hear Mr. Daughdrill snoring in my room before I even got into the hallway. Addie was out like a light. I crept back down the hall and retrieved my blanket and pillow.

  I felt like I was going into exile, like I was now officially banned from the family. I didn’t fit in anymore. I wasn’t wanted.

  Was this how Jeopardy felt?

  I haven’t given up on you, Jep. I love you. You are the best sister a girl ever had. I’ll bring you home. I swear, as God is my witness, I swear. With fat tears, I made the trek up the stairs and walked down the dark hallway to the attic. I heard nothing, I saw nothing, and I kept my eyes ahead of me.

  It was as if the ghosts were expecting me and welcomed me. I was one of them now. Or I would be soon.

  The attic door opened with a creak. I closed it behind me and stood in the dark trying to adjust my eyes to the dimness. Jeopardy’s pallet was under the window. I tossed my blanket on top of hers and put my pillow beside hers. Absolutely exhausted, I curled up in a ball and clutched her pillow, which still held her sweet, wild scent. She smelled like sunshine and wildflowers and tobacco. She smelled like life…but not anymore.

  Where are you, Jeopardy Belle? Why did you leave me?

  I cried myself to sleep and woke up early as the sun was beginning to rise. My body was stiff and achy all over from sleeping on the floor. I missed my comfortable bed, but I doubted that I would ever sleep in it again. I could hear the signs of life in the house even before I opened my eyes.

  Mariana, oh Mariana. Open your eyes. Open them. Open your eyes. Look what I have…

  “What? Ben?” I heard a boy’s voice, but I couldn’t fathom who it could be. There were no boys in this house, especially not up here. I blinked against the sunlight that streamed through the window. I saw him for only the briefest of seconds.

  It was a boy with large dark eyes, black hair and pale skin. He held a pair of scissors in one hand and a lock of my hair in the other. I screamed as he vanished, and my hand immediately went to my hair.

  I couldn’t believe it, but the ghost had cut a lock of my hair. It was gone. I looked around the bed and saw nothing. Had I cut my hair in my sleep? No, of course not. I didn’t even own a pair of scissors.

  I scooted away from the pallet and put my back against the wall, waiting for my heart to stop racing. There were indeed ghosts here. And one of them had a pair of scissors. Loxley had been telling the truth all along.

  I ran as fast as I could out of the attic and down the stairs. I didn’t stop until I found Addison. Instantly, she put her arms around me. “It’s okay, Harper. You can sleep with me tonight. You can stay with me. You don’t ever have to go upstairs again.”

  I would hold her to that promise.

  Chapter Twelve—Jerica

  I glanced at the clock, surprised to see that it was eight o’clock already. I could hear men’s voices downstairs. Must be Jesse and Ben. I didn’t wait for Marisol’s hug. I’d given up on those. Instead, I clutched her purple bear to my chest and kissed it before climbing out of bed. It wasn’t her favorite toy, but it was the only one I had left. Eddie had taken everything else. I suddenly felt the urge to call the detective handling his case to get more details on how things had turned out, but I resisted. Yeah, I wanted Eddie to rot under the jail, but as long as he was nowhere near me, I wasn’t going to bother wasting any more time on him.

  I found a white t-shirt and a pair of blue shorts to wear. It was going to be another hot day, and I had to get into that house somehow without upsetting Ben too much. I wondered how Jesse had fared on the wicker sofa. I heard a vehicle pull out of the driveway. Was that Jesse? Ben? I’d find out in a minute, but first I had to brush this hair of mine. I began brushing the knots out and was surprised to find a chunk of it was missing.

  A sizable chunk.

  Oh my God! Was I going bald? I searched my bed for the missing hair, but there was nothing there. I didn’t know why I couldn’t remember what happened to it. I hadn’t had a drop to drink last night and couldn’t remember the last time I’d taken a pill, since I’d never found a new doctor to get those new prescriptions. But whether I remembered it or not, a good half-inch of my hair had been cut, and whoever had done the deed had chunked it up big time. No, wait. He’d cut several chunks of my hair. And now I had a fragmentary memory of the sound of heavy scissors.

  “What in the…” Well, there were only two other people in my house. But would either Jesse or Ben pull such a prank? Was this some sort of south Mississippi joke?

  “You guys, is this a joke?” I said as I walked into the kitchen, holding up my hair to show them the cut spot. The room was empty except for a note on the table written in Jesse’s neat handwriting.

  Taking Ben to town to buy a new tire. His spare won’t make it home. I called Hannah. They’ll be back over after Ben leaves. Made you some coffee and cinnamon rolls.

  -J

  He didn’t say, “Hey, I took some hair,” so I must be losing my mind. I poured a cup of coffee and marched back upstairs to try and do something with my mop. The struggle was real. I finally pulled on a ball cap and pulled my ponytail out the back. This would have to do until I could see a stylist about my unwanted haircut.

  That boy, the ghost that scared Harper in my dream, didn’t he have a pair of scissors? The creepy crawlies covered my body, but the sensation did not fill me with fear as it might have before. No, I was feeling something else now. I was feeling pissed off. First, he tries to drown me in the river, and now he cuts my hair off? What was wrong with this ghost? Did he think I was Mariana? Maybe he thought he screwed up the first time and wanted to come back to finish the job now?

  I waited around for a few minutes and decided to take a walk to Summerleigh. I wanted some answers, and I wanted them yesterday. And by heavens, I was going to get them. I didn’t know what I expected to learn, but I finished my coffee and walked out of the caretaker’s cottage, leavi
ng the door unlocked in case Jesse beat me home. I walked down the gravel pathway and went to the back door of Summerleigh. I knocked politely, as I nearly always did when I came in through this entrance. Nobody answered, of course, but for a moment I imagined I heard a chair slide under the table. Am I interrupting breakfast, Harper?

  “It’s me, Jerica Poole,” I announced as I opened the door. I dreaded hearing the sounds of doors closing again in this breezy old house, so I propped a chair against the door to keep it open. “I’m not here to bother anyone, Harper. I’m still your friend.”

  Jerica…

  Someone whispered my name. But who?

  “Yes, it’s me. I’m here by myself, Harper. Addison, Jeopardy. I’m here by myself. I’m going to walk through Summerleigh. I don’t want to disturb you, but I need to find the boy. He cut my hair last night, and I want to know why.”

  And then I heard nothing but a breeze blowing in over the sink. Hey, wasn’t that window closed? It had to be. I walked over to the window, and sure enough, it was closed. So where was that breeze coming from? We hadn’t installed the new air conditioning system yet. I raised my hand above my head. No, this wasn’t a draft. It was coming from the window. I could feel it up there too. What was that? There was a small stepladder in the kitchen, which I moved under the window so I could take down the curtains. Maybe the window wasn’t sealed properly. Maybe air was getting in through a loose shim that we’d neglected to caulk. Anything was possible.

  I stood on the ladder and reached above the window. Aha! That was it. It was breezy out, and this crack in the window seal was making the curtains flutter. I felt like a true paranormal investigator on one of the shows that Eddie used to enjoy watching. “Debunked,” I announced proudly as I started to climb back down the short ladder.

  But then I saw a face looking back at me from the other side of the window. It was the angriest face I’d ever seen. With red eyes in a shriveled skull, it bared its yellowed teeth at me. I knew who I was looking at. This was the very dead Mr. Daughdrill. With a scream of surprise, I fell backward and hit my head so hard that I saw stars.