Janet McNulty - Mellow Summers 07 - Two Ghosts Haunt a Grove by Janet McNulty Page B

that all about?”
    “Kyle recognized me at the party yesterday,” I said.
    “Is he going to do something about it?”
    “I don’t know,” I replied, but my original impression that the man was a scumbag held. “Jackie, do you mind getting a ride home today?”
    “Why?”
    “I need to take my car in. It crapped out on me again yesterday. I had to call Detective Shorts for a ride.”
    Jackie put her hand over her mouth snickering.
    “It’s not funny!”
    “Yeah, it is,” she laughed, “But, yeah, I can get a ride home. You go get your car fixed.”
    The moment I signed out at work, I headed straight to Tiny’s “Mel,” he greeted, “What’s wrong?”
    My frustration must have shown as his face turned to concern. “I have never had so much car trouble before in my life,” I said, slamming the car door, “For the third time this week it has just stopped working.”
    “Stopped?”
    “The engine either shuts off and I can’t get it started again, or yesterday, it overheated and the battery was suddenly drained of all power.”
    “That’s a brand new battery,” said Tiny.
    “And it always happens in the same spot!”
    “What?”
    Well, I had just let the cat out of the bag. Tiny had forbidden me from going up to Joseph Bourtonson’s place, so naturally I went up there. “Uh, yeah, about that.”
    “Where exactly?” asked Tiny.
    I knew he was onto me. “You know that fork in the road up near where Smiley’s Ghost is usually seen?”
    “You didn’t! I told you not to go up there. That place is haunted!”
    “I had to. Something strange is going on up there.”
    “Yeah, because there’s a ghost that lives up there.”
    “No, this is something else. There are people up there.”
    Tiny folded his arms. “Tell you what, we’ll take your car up there. I’m driving.”
    I tossed Tiny my car keys and climbed into the passenger seat. Tiny’s bulky size allowed him little wiggle room in my car. He popped the seat back, though his head still brushed the ceiling. “I will prove to you that there is nothing wrong with your car.”
    I snorted.
    In about an hour we neared the old, haunted inn and the fork in the road. Sure enough, the engine whined and the car lost power. Tiny steered it as best he could and parked it on the shoulder. “What the—”
    “Told you,” I said.
    He turned the key. The engine whirred, but refused to turn over. “This is ridiculous.”
    Tiny opened the door and jumped out after popping the hood. He rummaged around in the engine checking the oil, brake and radiator fluid, and the battery. Nothing.
    “Well, I just don’t understand it,” he said, perplexed. “There is no reason for your car to be doing this. It’s like the damn thing has a mind of its own.”
    “I’m telling you, Tiny, this happens every time I come out here.”
    “This place is cursed,” said Tiny.
    “It is not! It’s—”
    A flicker of movement caught my eye. I peered at it more closely. Without warning, I took off after the thing I saw moving as it attempted to shrink back into the woods. This time I would catch that ghost.
    “Mel!” Tiny crashed through the trees after me.
    I ignored him. “Joseph Bourtonson, get out here!” I shouted. I continued running through the undergrowth. I knew he was here. He had to be. “Joseph! I know you’re out here! Why do you keep messing with my car?”
    “Mel, what foolishness,” Tiny said as he caught up with me.
    “Do you have to shout?” said a voice.
    Tiny stopped cold. “Did you hear that?”
    “Joseph, there’s no use in hiding,” I said.
    “You are the most stubborn person I have ever met,” said the same voice as a man materialized before us, dressed as though he belonged in Colonial Days. “How many times do I have to upset that contraption of yours for you to get the hint?”
    “I knew it was you,” I said.
    Tiny just stood there watching the entire exchange. I don’t think he had ever seen a ghost materialize before. For me,