Ghost Girl in Shadow Bay: A Young Adult Haunted House Mystery by R. Barri Flowers Page A

Lily in a welcome change of subject.
    "Really?" Lily's face lit up. "When?"
    "That will be up to you guys to decide. He
wants your number."
    "Then give it to him," Lily uttered
anxiously.
    "Okay." Peyton already had her number and
would text it to Bryant, once she found out where Vance had put her
cell phone.
    "Can't way till Kirk calls," Lily said. "Do
you know what he looks like?"
    Peyton flipped her hair back. "Sorry, we've
never met. But I'm sure Bry wouldn't set you up with someone who
was a total loser."
    "Well that's a big relief!" Lily chuckled.
"If we hit it off, maybe the four of us could hang out
together?"
    "Why not?" Peyton agreed. "I'm sure Bry
would be all for it." And they would still make sure to leave room
for some private time.
    "Cool," Lily said. "Now let's just hope some
friendly ghost doesn't show up who would probably give those guys a
heart attack. Not to mention me!"
    Peyton laughed, though it was hardly a
laughing matter. The truth was, while Caitlyn may not be a threat
to her, she could still feel it in her bones that there was
real danger in that house. Maybe not the type that Peyton could
explain in everyday language, but it was there nevertheless.
    * * *
    That evening, Peyton managed to locate her
cell phone. She waited till her mom and Vance went to bed before
texting Erica, not wanting to ever give up her iPhone again while
using it discreetly. She hoped her mother would back her up this
time should it come to that.
    After a few exchanges, they switched to a
video call.
    "Your text sounded intense," Erica said.
    "With good reason," Peyton spoke lowly. "You
won't believe what I found out today about the girl in the bay and
my dreams--"
    "Let me guess...she's not really a ghost
after all, but someone very human who spooked you for some
reason?"
    "Yeah, if only." Peyton thought about
Caitlyn and wondered if she was watching her at that very moment.
"My friend Lily's grandmother had a very interesting story to tell
me about a horrific family crime that happened in this house half a
century ago--"
    After she finished telling the story, Erica
said rather dramatically, "They don't even make horror flicks as
scary as this. If your house is truly haunted by a fifty-year-old
ghost who was murdered by her own father, then I'd say you've got
some serious problems, girlfriend."
    "My problems pale compared to what Caitlyn
must have gone through," Peyton said considerately.
    "And you're even on a first name basis with
the ghost girl now," Erica muttered. "Should I be jealous or
what?"
    "Course not!" The last thing Peyton wanted
was for Erica to think she was in competition with
anyone--especially a ghost. "You'll always be my best
friend, as long as I remain yours. But Caitlyn's my friend, too--in
a weird way, since she's been dead for fifty years and we haven't
actually had like a real conversation. I just need to find out what
she wants with me. Whether I can give it to her is another
story."
    "Maybe she's trying to warn you that you,
your mom, and stepdad aren't welcome in that house just like the
family in the Amityville Horror . If I were you, I wouldn't
wait around till Caitlyn turns into the teenage ghost from
hell."
    "It's not like I have a choice." Peyton
sighed. "My parents seem to think this place is the answer to all
their problems. I doubt I could change that with my talk of ghosts
and a half a century old crime. Besides, I don't think Caitlyn
feels that I'm crowding her space. She just wants someone to...I
don't know, I guess keep her from going stir crazy after being
trapped in this house for so long."
    "Whatever you say, Peyton," Erica said
skeptically. "Just promise me one thing: if it gets to be more than
you can handle, you'll get out of there before the house implodes
or something."
    Peyton smiled, trying to see the humor in
it. "I promise."
    "Good. Now, what's up with Bry...?"
    Peyton told Erica about her highly
anticipated date with Bryant tomorrow, and listened as Erica spoke
animatedly