A Ghost To Die For

A Ghost to Die For

By

Keta Diablo

Copyright © 2017 by Keta Diablo

Cover art by © The Book Khaleesi

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

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Chapter 1

La Bonne Chance Casino

Victory, NY

Chapter 1

Seated on the edge of the bed in the hotel room, Rooney Fontaine steeled herself for the séance she and her sister, Violet, would soon commence. While Vi was a natural at communing with the dead, Rooney believed it a stretch too far to pawn herself off as a medium.

The familiar drone of a hair dryer stopped and Rooney shouted at Vi in the bathroom. "Twenty minutes until show time. You almost done in there?"

Vi opened the door, crossed the room and rifled through her open suitcase. "As soon as I find the sage sticks I packed." Her sister paused and pinned her with a slight frown. "Don't look so glum. The séance will go off without a hitch."

"Says the woman who's comfortable cavorting with dead people."

"Come on, now. How many times must I tell you? We mustn't call them dead people. They're angels, loved ones or lost spirits."

'I'd prefer not to call them anything. In fact, I'd be as happy as a dog with two tails if we stopped this charade and found a decent, honest way to make a living." Rooney snorted. "Honest being the key word here."

Vi wagged a finger in her direction. "We've been down this road a dozen times. There is nothing dishonest about passing on messages from the spirits. Many have found peace and contentment by our efforts."

"Your efforts, Vi. Unlike you, I've never even seen the whisper of a ghost and see no reason to fake communication with them."

Another finger wag. "I worked my tail off getting us this gig at the casino. Ten thousand dollars for five nights' work. That's two thousand for me, two thousand for you and six thousand toward Vanessa's mounting medical bills. Besides, can I help it if a crazy apparition from Big Moose Lake crawled into the back seat of our car?"

Vi was right; she couldn't fault her for encountering a ghost as a child. After their mother died from complications of bringing Vanessa into the world, their father did his best to bring a sense of normalcy to their lives. Normalcy included weekend camping trips to the Adirondacks with his three daughters and Gran, his mother. On one such weekend, Violet came down with a sudden onslaught of abdominal pain. Gran rightly diagnosed the affliction as acute appendicitis and convinced their father to take her to the emergency room of the local hospital.

Somewhere along the long, winding route down the mountains, they saw a woman standing in the middle of the road. Their father had slammed on the brakes, and believing she also needed help, told her to get into the back seat of the car. Vi would later recall the woman was dressed in a soaking wet, long, white gown and water oozed from her shoes. Seated beside Vi in the back seat, the woman didn't speak a word, but looked down at her with empty eye sockets. Minutes later, their father looked into the rearview mirror and the woman had disappeared.

Rumors circulated throughout the hospital that on their harrowing drive to the emergency room, father and daughter met up with the infamous Lady of the Lake, a ghost known as Grace Brown to local town folk. Years ago, while staying at a cabin with one Chester Gillette, he drowned her in Big Moose Lake, and now she haunts the hiking trails, roadways and woods.

"Are you listening to me, Rooney?"

"Yes, I heard every word you said…ten thousand dollars for five nights' work."

"You know Gran can't afford the outrageous cost of blood transfusions, to say nothing about Vanessa's lengthy hospital stays. If nothing else, think of 'cavorting with dead people' as you call it, as helping Gran and saving Vanessa."

"I am thinking of them, and I'm so pissed at Dad for just taking off, I can't see straight."

"Forget about him." Vi almost hissed the words. "Mom's death and the encounter with the ghost sent him over the edge. Once he took up that bottle, his parental instincts flew out the window."

Rooney dragged herself from the edge of the bed and came to her feet. "I'm just worried, that's all, worried to death about Vanessa, and terrified those people trying to connect with their loved ones will catch on to me."

"Remember to follow my lead; that's all you have to do. I'll do the heavy lifting, you back me up." Vi held the sage sticks in the air and walked toward her. Cupping her chin, her sister smiled. "Have I ever let you or Vanessa down?"

Rooney shook her head.

"Trust me, everything will be fine."

"But I don't hear them like you do, Vi, and I can't see them." Under her breath she added, "I'm not even sure I believe in ghosts."

"You don't have to believe in them, but you do have to do your part for Vanessa's sake, agreed?"

Rooney closed her eyes and blew a breath of air. "Agreed."

"All right. Show time."

* * *

Violet and Rooney entered the Event Center through a side door located behind the stage and waited as the Master of Ceremonies' booming voice echoed throughout the large auditorium. "Ladies and gentleman, tonight, the La Bonne Chance Casino welcomes you to our third annual séance! At this time, we ask everyone to turn off their cell phones and locate your ticket stubs. Before we dim the lights, I'll call out eight numbers and ask those lucky participants to join us center stage. I remind you, we require complete silence during the séance."

While the man called out eight numbers, Rooney drew a deep breath and watched the participants find their way to the round table draped in white linen. Vi nudged her forward, lit two sage sticks and circled the room while repeating a familiar blessing.

Again the Master of Ceremonies' voice rang out. "Without further adieu, it is my great honor to present the Fontaine sisters!"

"Welcome, everyone, please be seated." Vi passed the sage sticks into the man's hand before he exited the stage and then lit the lone candle situated in the middle of the table. Rooney eased into a chair across from her sister, smiled at those present and waited for Vi to open the séance. "Let us join hands. Please protect us from the forces of evil during this session. Let there be nothing but light surrounding this table and its occupants, and let us communicate only with powers and entities of the light. Protect the people in this house as we welcome those who have crossed over. Amen."

Several minutes later, Rooney noticed a subtle shift in the energy on stage. The flame guttered from the lone candle in the center of the table; participants shifted in their seats and looked about the stage—clear indications they had also sensed a change.

Her voice almost a whisper, Vi spoke. "A loved-one who has crossed over has made their presence known."

A slight movement of her index finger provided the clue Rooney had been waiting for. "I believe it's a male and I see the letter W, possibly an upside-down W, or the letter M." Had Vi wanted her to identify the apparition as a woman, she would have moved her thumb.

An elderly woman with salt and pepper hair, her voice holding a note of urgency, blurted out the words. "That's my Milton; I just know it."

"Yes," Vi said with a firm nod. "The spirit I'm seeing looks like he could pass for a Milton."

"What is he saying, does he have a message for me?" the woman asked.

"He does, but he's taking his time getting to the point. Wait…wait, it's coming to me now. I smell flowers, the distinct aroma of roses."

The woman scooted to the edge of her chair, her expression animated. "Milton, oh Milton, dear, you are here. Please, what are you trying to say about our rose garden?"

"Ah," Vi added with a flair to her voice. "So you did have a rose garden?"

"Yes, award-winning roses and we worked together every morning pruning and cutting our little beauties. Milton loved fresh flowers in the house every day."

"Well, he wants you to know he expects you to keep on in that regard; sees it as a testament to your enduring love."

A lone tear rolled down the woman's cheek. "What else, what else does he want me to know?"

"That he's in a good place and he waits for you."

On and on it went—punctuated by a few eye rolls by Rooney, which she hoped no one noticed in the dimly lit room—until everyone present made contact with their loved ones. Rooney had to admit, Vi was a master in this regard. Even she had to wonder at times if Vi saw ghosts. Course, they could never call them ghosts or dead people, as Vi had reminded her countless times.

Silence reigned in the auditorium until Vi signaled the conclusion of the séance with a releasing prayer. "Thank you for the wisdom and insight you have granted us tonight. Thank you for answering our questions through the beings and angels of the light. Protect this house and the people who have been here during our stay in your realm. In the name of the light, we thank you. Amen."

The Master of Ceremonies appeared on stage again, indicating the participants could now return to their seats. "Ladies and gentlemen, if you didn't get a chance to join us on stage tonight, remember the fabulous Fontaine sisters will be at the La Bonne Chance Casino for another four consecutive nights. Exit to your left upon leaving the auditorium and go directly to the Ticket Counter to purchase your tickets. Good night and safe journey in whatever realm you travel."

Back stage, Vi paused for a few moments of introspection. "Nice touch on the upside down W, Rooney. Couldn't have played it better myself. Oh, don't frown so, it went off without a hitch."

"I know, that's the problem. No one suspects I wouldn't recognize a ghost if he bit me in the ass."

"I wish you'd stop carrying on about the séances and think about how we're helping Vanessa. Gran says she'll need another transfusion soon and where do you think the money will come from, huh? Do you think it will fall from the sky? God, you're so naïve sometimes when it comes to life, Rooney. I worry about you."

Rooney pinched her forehead. "I know, I know. It's just when I see the expressions on their faces, the tears rolling down their cheeks and the heartache, I question why I dropped out of college to play the part of a medium."

Vi placed her hands-on Rooney's shoulders. "Because you love Vanessa with all your heart, because when she couldn't pronounce Veronica, she gave you the nickname Rooney, because all that matters now is that little girl beating this crushing disease."

"You're right, Vi. I'm sorry."

"No need to apologize. Just remember, one day you'll return to get that architectural degree."

"I know, and I would've had my four years in by now if I hadn't spent two years messing around in Computer Aided Drafting."

"You're a young twenty-seven, chicklet, not thirty-seven. Plenty of time for you to accomplish all your dreams." Vi gave her cheek a peck and then arched her neck back. "Feel better now?"

Rooney nodded. "Yes, and I'll feel even better cuddled up in the room with my latest copy of Architectural Digest. You coming?"

"No, think I'll belly up to a blackjack table with a stiff drink…maybe four. I'm feeling lucky tonight."

"All right. See you later."

"If you need anything, ring my cell."

"Will do, have a good time, and win some money. We could use it."

"Love ya, Rooney."

"Love ya back, Vi."