Big Easy Murder (The Peyton Clark Series Book 3) Read Online Free

type is just trapped energy. These spirits simply repeat actions, sounds, or words that occurred or were spoken when they were alive.”
    “Those are the types of haunts that relive their deaths over and over again, but have no sentient abilities,” Ryan added, probably making more sense than I did.
    “Yes!” I said with a grateful smile at him.
    “Okay, I understand,” Peter said. After a brief nod, I was encouraged and swiftly moved to point number two.
    “The second type of spirit is stuck on this plane and can never leave. These spirits usually died tragically or violently. The third type of haunt is one who stays on this plane purposely, either to protect someone, or because it’s attached to a person or a thing,” I continued.
    “And the fourth type?” Peter asked.
    “The fourth type of spirit is the most powerful. These can travel from the spirit plane to the earthly plane and can be good or bad. The good ones usually come to offer protection, or deliver messages to the living.”
    “And the bad ones?” Peter asked, a trace of alarm tainting his tone.
    “Those spirits come here with the single intention of harming us. We usually refer to them as demons.” I took a deep breath and slowly let it out again. “The spirit of the Axeman was one of those types of entities—a demon.”
    “I see,” Peter replied, “but I fail to understand why we are discussing demons; Adele would hardly be considered one!” he finished rather gruffly.
    “No; and no one is suggesting that,” I quickly interjected to ease his palpable irritation. “As long as Adele is one of the spirits who can travel to both planes, I can communicate with her.”
    “What if she’s one of the other types of spirits? The ones who won’t leave this plane for whatever reason? Or what if she’s simply trapped and reliving her fate over and over again?” Peter asked, sounding more and more agitated.
    “Well, how do you know that she’s even still a spirit?” I replied. That was probably a question I should have asked him a while ago, but better late than never …
    Peter began to nod in earnest. “I am convinced she still haunts the house she died in.”
    “Okay, so do you have access to this house?” I asked. That could pose its own problem if he didn’t.
    “Well, I should hope so, considering I live there too!” he responded quickly before erupting into an impatient, little laugh.
    I was slightly surprised to learn he was still living in the same house, but I tried not to show it. “Okay, well that makes things significantly easier then,” I answered. I didn’t bother asking why he thought she was haunting it. Chances were high, if he thought she was, she probably was.
    “So, if we assume that she is a spirit,” Peter continued. He obviously wanted to stay on the topic at hand. “How would you go about contacting her if she’s just stuck on this plane and not one of those sentient spirits you mentioned earlier?”
    I shrugged; I wasn’t sure of the answer to his question. When it came to summoning and communicating with the dead, I was a basic novice and then some. “I’m not exactly sure, but I imagine it could be a bit more difficult than reaching out to spirits who are sentient.”
    “Then you haven’t interacted with any spirits? Even though you have one living inside you?” Peter asked. The frown he aimed at me suggested he wanted a refund.
    “I wouldn’t say that,” I replied with a laugh that was devoid of humor. “I’ve communicated with the dead,” I said as I faced Peter and nodded while memories of the ordeal began to haunt me. “And it was something I will never forget, not as long as I live.”
    “Then this spirit you communicated with was one who could speak?” Peter asked.
    I nodded. “She was a slave from the LaLaurie House,” I said as my heart began to race. I forced the unpleasant memories back into the recesses of my mind.
    “Good Lord,” Peter said as he crossed himself. That was