ENTANGLED by Jennifer Estep, Cynthia Eden, Allison Brennan, Dale Mayer, Lori Brighton, Liz Kreger, Michelle Miles, Misty Evans Edie Ramer, Nancy Haddock, Michelle Diener Page A
Authors: Jennifer Estep, Cynthia Eden, Allison Brennan, Dale Mayer, Lori Brighton, Liz Kreger, Michelle Miles, Misty Evans Edie Ramer, Nancy Haddock, Michelle Diener
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to live their existence in patterns, right? They make the same noises, appear in the same rooms, open and close the same doors.”
“You’re banking on Searle’s showing up at the same time he staged the 1668 raid.” Brick nodded. “Makes as much sense as anything else.”
“Okay, so we’ll meet at the bay front about ten. The Halloween night ghost tours should be over by then.”
“Fewer people on the streets to distract us.”
“Exactly. I’ll start putting out the call for Guillelmina and hope she shows up.”
We looked at each other in silence, then Brick snorted.
“Pretty thin plan, isn’t it? No, no,” he added holding up his hand. “Don’t poker up. I don’t have a better idea unless—”
“Unless what?”
“You contact Zavier and some other spirits you know. Get their input.”
“I’ve already given the ghost-vine a shot. Not one spook has anything to suggest. They’re so upset, even their rumor mill has dried up. Tonight could be a spectacular success or a phenomenal failure.”
“Then we give your plan our best and hope it works.”
o0o
All Hallows Eve. A half moon and stars shining overhead. Temperature hovering at seventy-two. No wind, but thick white-gray wisps churned above the surface of the bay among the dozens of sailboats gently rocking at anchor. Water ghosts, I thought of them now. Land ghosts also still flitted through the historic downtown. Guess these spooks hadn’t found a safe place to take cover.
Brick, his team, and I arrived at the bay front within minutes of each other. The guys wore tool belts stuffed with recorders and meters. Melody wore Don’s 35mm camera on a strap around her neck, and Deidre carried the FLIR. I supposed they had more equipment at the ready in Brick’s truck parked across the street, but I doubted they’d need it.
Me? I carried three bottles of drinking water and an energy bar in my backpack, and a vial of holy water in my pocket. Da had insisted. Oh, yeah. And hope. I carried oodles of hope.
The six of us had dodged couples strolling the bay front sidewalk, watched ghost tours come and go, and generally worked to stay inconspicuous. Now the time was ten-thirty.
“The tours are winding down,” Brick observed from beside me. “In another hour, the restaurant patrons should be gone.”
“But the bars won’t close until later,” Deidre said.
I’d already thanked the young woman for her research. Now I smiled at her. “If drinkers stumble into the supernatural show, they’ll figure they’re seeing things.”
“Or sober up real fast,” Don added.
Brick grinned, then turned to me. “Ready to start contacting Guillelmina?”
“Just let me have some privacy.”
He frowned. “I wanted to get this recorded. Is that a problem?”
“If I say yes, will you drop it?”
“No.”
“You can be a real pain, Brick.”
Dan snorted and Melody coughed.
I took a digital recorder and sat on the sea wall fifty yards or so south of the Castillo de San Marcos, known locally as the fort. This is where the original docks had been built; I did remember that from history class. The spot also put a bit of distance between me and the distraction of Brick.
Bollards linked by heavy, large-linked chains ran the length of the seawall. I leaned against a bollard, and with the recorder running, I took a deep breath.
“Hello. My name is Colleen Cotton. I’m trying to reach a young girl named Guillelmina. Is she here?”
A few adult ghosts pressed closer, but no child materialized.
“Listen, I need to find Guillelmina to get rid of a pirate. Robert Searle. Word has it that he’s coming back to St. Augustine to feed on earthbound souls. The ghosts here think you scared him off before, and that you can do it again.”
Adult ghosts nodded, but didn’t add comments.
“Okay, I see other spirits here. Some of you
“You’re banking on Searle’s showing up at the same time he staged the 1668 raid.” Brick nodded. “Makes as much sense as anything else.”
“Okay, so we’ll meet at the bay front about ten. The Halloween night ghost tours should be over by then.”
“Fewer people on the streets to distract us.”
“Exactly. I’ll start putting out the call for Guillelmina and hope she shows up.”
We looked at each other in silence, then Brick snorted.
“Pretty thin plan, isn’t it? No, no,” he added holding up his hand. “Don’t poker up. I don’t have a better idea unless—”
“Unless what?”
“You contact Zavier and some other spirits you know. Get their input.”
“I’ve already given the ghost-vine a shot. Not one spook has anything to suggest. They’re so upset, even their rumor mill has dried up. Tonight could be a spectacular success or a phenomenal failure.”
“Then we give your plan our best and hope it works.”
o0o
All Hallows Eve. A half moon and stars shining overhead. Temperature hovering at seventy-two. No wind, but thick white-gray wisps churned above the surface of the bay among the dozens of sailboats gently rocking at anchor. Water ghosts, I thought of them now. Land ghosts also still flitted through the historic downtown. Guess these spooks hadn’t found a safe place to take cover.
Brick, his team, and I arrived at the bay front within minutes of each other. The guys wore tool belts stuffed with recorders and meters. Melody wore Don’s 35mm camera on a strap around her neck, and Deidre carried the FLIR. I supposed they had more equipment at the ready in Brick’s truck parked across the street, but I doubted they’d need it.
Me? I carried three bottles of drinking water and an energy bar in my backpack, and a vial of holy water in my pocket. Da had insisted. Oh, yeah. And hope. I carried oodles of hope.
The six of us had dodged couples strolling the bay front sidewalk, watched ghost tours come and go, and generally worked to stay inconspicuous. Now the time was ten-thirty.
“The tours are winding down,” Brick observed from beside me. “In another hour, the restaurant patrons should be gone.”
“But the bars won’t close until later,” Deidre said.
I’d already thanked the young woman for her research. Now I smiled at her. “If drinkers stumble into the supernatural show, they’ll figure they’re seeing things.”
“Or sober up real fast,” Don added.
Brick grinned, then turned to me. “Ready to start contacting Guillelmina?”
“Just let me have some privacy.”
He frowned. “I wanted to get this recorded. Is that a problem?”
“If I say yes, will you drop it?”
“No.”
“You can be a real pain, Brick.”
Dan snorted and Melody coughed.
I took a digital recorder and sat on the sea wall fifty yards or so south of the Castillo de San Marcos, known locally as the fort. This is where the original docks had been built; I did remember that from history class. The spot also put a bit of distance between me and the distraction of Brick.
Bollards linked by heavy, large-linked chains ran the length of the seawall. I leaned against a bollard, and with the recorder running, I took a deep breath.
“Hello. My name is Colleen Cotton. I’m trying to reach a young girl named Guillelmina. Is she here?”
A few adult ghosts pressed closer, but no child materialized.
“Listen, I need to find Guillelmina to get rid of a pirate. Robert Searle. Word has it that he’s coming back to St. Augustine to feed on earthbound souls. The ghosts here think you scared him off before, and that you can do it again.”
Adult ghosts nodded, but didn’t add comments.
“Okay, I see other spirits here. Some of you
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