Ghost House Read Online Free Page B

feeling a stab of anger for Joe’s rude
behavior towards Suzanne, said. “It’s Mr. Witters, Suzanne, go
finish coloring.” Then she turned to Joe and said “Yes, Riley is
going to have her room downstairs, is there any reason you would
have a problem with that?” She asked him pointedly.
    “Oh no, no, no. Just that there are three
bedrooms up here is all.”
    “We will be using the upstairs bedroom mostly
for storage until the winter months. I imagine it gets extremely
hot up there with no central air conditioning in the house.” Sarah
said, wishing now she had not poured such a big glass of ice tea
for Joe.
    “There are a few very nice furniture pieces
in the basement. Are you going to be removing them, or is someone
planning to come back for them?”
    “No, why?”
    “It’s just that they are very nice and I was
thinking maybe we could utilize them for as long as we are here. We
would leave them when we move back out, of course.”
    “You’re moving back out?” Joe barked.
    He must be hard of hearing. “We just
moved in, Mr. Witters, I meant when we eventually do move, we will
make sure we leave that furniture where it is.”
    “Oh. My grandfather built this house. He and
my grandmother lived here until the day they died. My mother and
father did too. You make sure you keep the walks shoveled in the
winter time. Mother didn’t stand for no snow or ice on her
sidewalks. Too dangerous she always said.”
    Sarah had become bored with this
conversation, she had too much to do to waste any more time on it.
Riley had already made three trips back and forth to the
basement.
    “Mr. Witters, it was nice meeting you and we
will remember about the snow removal.” Sarah said, standing. If Joe
took the hint, he gave no indication of it. “Yep, we laid out
mother right there in the living room, dad we had in this
room.”
    Sarah was glad Riley was downstairs just then
and that Suzanne had run back to her bedroom. Since the soft
approach didn’t work, Sarah knew that she had to be more
direct.
    “Thank you for stopping by, Mr. Witters.
Suzanne? Riley? Come on, we have to get going to the store now!”
She called out to her daughters. Joe Witters finally got up and
said “I’ll be going now, you mind what I said about the snow.”
    “I understand, Mr. Witters, goodbye.” Sarah
had to practically shove him out the door. She then went and again
told Suzanne that they needed to get some stuff done so put her
shoes on and let’s go. Suzanne took her time and Riley ran back
downstairs to take one more load of her stuff, so it was a good
fifteen minutes before the three of them waked out of the side
door.
    “You planning on watering these flowers
anytime soon?”
    Sarah jumped. “Mr. Witters, I thought you had
already left.” “I am leaving, just as soon as I water these
flowers.” He said. Sarah was angry now. “My husband will water the
flowers when he gets home from work. No need for you to do it.” She
said with an edge in her voice. But Joe Witters just ignored her,
picked up the hose and started to water the flowers.
    Sarah and the girls got into the car and
locked the door. Sarah drove as far as the next block and then
stopped and took out her cell phone. She sent a text to her husband
saying “Make SURE you buy those bolt locks today for both doors and
make sure you install them today too!” She typed. Then she went to
the store to purchase window coverings for all of the windows, even
the one upstairs in the attic.

Chapter 5

    Riley liked to bowl, so when they could find
the time, they would go to the local bowling alley and bowl a game
or two. Riley met a new friend there named Julia. Sarah was glad
that Riley had met someone she could be friends with. There were
not many children in their neighborhood. It wasn’t long before
Julia was almost a third daughter at the Gaunter home and Riley had
also spend a great deal of time at Julia’s house. Julia lived a
couple of miles from them, so the girls