bad mood because of the foot problem? Hmm. Maybe Ballybantry Castle didn’t need an exorcist. Maybe what it needed was a podiatrist.
Tilly continued. “Paranormalists have documented that rooms haunted by hostile ghosts are subject to temperature shifts, cold spots, and icy breezes.”
“That can’t be good for people with circulatory problems,” I said.
“Bernice has poor circulation,” said Nana. “And I bet you anything she forgot to pack her support hose.”
“Wait’ll I get my hands on that Ashley,” I seethed, mindlessly scratching my neck and jaw. “This is some great place she booked us into. If the ghost doesn’t get us, the frostbite will.”
“Are the police suspicious the maid might have died from a ghost-related incident?” asked Tilly. “She did have a frightful expression on her face.”
“I bet she ate one a them black puddin’ things they served us at breakfast,” Nana said. “The taste probably killed her. It nearly killed me.”
“It’s pretty early in the investigation. I don’t think the police have drawn any conclusions yet.” The ladies didn’t need to know about the bloody footprints under the maid’s body. At least, not yet. I zipped up my bag and threw it over my shoulder. “Is there any chance you could search the Net for more information about Ballybantry Castle and its ghosts, Nana? I could use more details about sightings through the centuries, attempted exorcisms, related deaths. Anything you can find would be helpful.” Nana was second to none when it came to Internet searches on her laptop, so I knew she’d be able to shed further light on the subject. I had to be prepared, but I needed to know what to be prepared for.
“You want I should do that right now?” Nana asked.
“No-no. You and Tilly get ready to board the bus. Tonight will be soon enough.”
“Are you plannin’ to touch up your face before you go out, dear?”
“I hadn’t planned on it. Why?”
“Remember that problem you was fussin’ over yesterday?”
I fingered my jaw to feel a fresh crop of welts snaking across my skin.
“From the looks a things, it’s back.”
After spending ten minutes in the bathroom with my anti-itch cream, I headed for the front desk. The morning desk clerk was a big-boned brunette in her thirties with a broad face, a warm smile, and hands the size of catcher’s mitts. Her name tag identified her as Nessa O’Conor.
“Excuse me,” I said by way of greeting, “but I’ve had several complaints about the temperature in the rooms last night.”
“Too cold for them, is it?” she inquired. “We’re always fielding complaints about the cold spots in the rooms at this time of year.”
Aha! I leaned over the desk and lowered my voice to a no-nonsense whisper. “And we all know why that is, don’t we? But I’d like to hear it straight from the horse’s mouth.”
The clerk leaned close to me and replied in an equally no-nonsense whisper, “We shut the furnace down in May and don’t turn it on again until September.”
Right. Like I was going to believe such a logical explanation. “How convenient. Blaming the cold on the furnace.”
“It’s hotel policy, miss.”
Enough pussyfooting around. “What about the ghosts?”
“If it’s ghosts you’re after, miss, you might want to ring up Castle Leslie in County Monaghan. They have a popular ghost who appears in the Red Room. Quite friendly, he is. They’ve even documented it on the Travel Channel.”
“What about the malevolent ghosts in Ballybantry Castle?” I demanded.
“Ghosts? In Ballybantry?” Her laughter trilled outward. “Ballybantry is famous for its moat, not its ghosts. Someone’s been pulling your leg, miss. Ballybantry’s not haunted. I wouldn’t be working here if it was. Excuse me for a moment.”
She left to answer the phone, leaving me more confused than enlightened. If she was telling the truth about the furnace, that would explain the cold, but it did nothing
Tilly continued. “Paranormalists have documented that rooms haunted by hostile ghosts are subject to temperature shifts, cold spots, and icy breezes.”
“That can’t be good for people with circulatory problems,” I said.
“Bernice has poor circulation,” said Nana. “And I bet you anything she forgot to pack her support hose.”
“Wait’ll I get my hands on that Ashley,” I seethed, mindlessly scratching my neck and jaw. “This is some great place she booked us into. If the ghost doesn’t get us, the frostbite will.”
“Are the police suspicious the maid might have died from a ghost-related incident?” asked Tilly. “She did have a frightful expression on her face.”
“I bet she ate one a them black puddin’ things they served us at breakfast,” Nana said. “The taste probably killed her. It nearly killed me.”
“It’s pretty early in the investigation. I don’t think the police have drawn any conclusions yet.” The ladies didn’t need to know about the bloody footprints under the maid’s body. At least, not yet. I zipped up my bag and threw it over my shoulder. “Is there any chance you could search the Net for more information about Ballybantry Castle and its ghosts, Nana? I could use more details about sightings through the centuries, attempted exorcisms, related deaths. Anything you can find would be helpful.” Nana was second to none when it came to Internet searches on her laptop, so I knew she’d be able to shed further light on the subject. I had to be prepared, but I needed to know what to be prepared for.
“You want I should do that right now?” Nana asked.
“No-no. You and Tilly get ready to board the bus. Tonight will be soon enough.”
“Are you plannin’ to touch up your face before you go out, dear?”
“I hadn’t planned on it. Why?”
“Remember that problem you was fussin’ over yesterday?”
I fingered my jaw to feel a fresh crop of welts snaking across my skin.
“From the looks a things, it’s back.”
After spending ten minutes in the bathroom with my anti-itch cream, I headed for the front desk. The morning desk clerk was a big-boned brunette in her thirties with a broad face, a warm smile, and hands the size of catcher’s mitts. Her name tag identified her as Nessa O’Conor.
“Excuse me,” I said by way of greeting, “but I’ve had several complaints about the temperature in the rooms last night.”
“Too cold for them, is it?” she inquired. “We’re always fielding complaints about the cold spots in the rooms at this time of year.”
Aha! I leaned over the desk and lowered my voice to a no-nonsense whisper. “And we all know why that is, don’t we? But I’d like to hear it straight from the horse’s mouth.”
The clerk leaned close to me and replied in an equally no-nonsense whisper, “We shut the furnace down in May and don’t turn it on again until September.”
Right. Like I was going to believe such a logical explanation. “How convenient. Blaming the cold on the furnace.”
“It’s hotel policy, miss.”
Enough pussyfooting around. “What about the ghosts?”
“If it’s ghosts you’re after, miss, you might want to ring up Castle Leslie in County Monaghan. They have a popular ghost who appears in the Red Room. Quite friendly, he is. They’ve even documented it on the Travel Channel.”
“What about the malevolent ghosts in Ballybantry Castle?” I demanded.
“Ghosts? In Ballybantry?” Her laughter trilled outward. “Ballybantry is famous for its moat, not its ghosts. Someone’s been pulling your leg, miss. Ballybantry’s not haunted. I wouldn’t be working here if it was. Excuse me for a moment.”
She left to answer the phone, leaving me more confused than enlightened. If she was telling the truth about the furnace, that would explain the cold, but it did nothing
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