Ghost of a Promise Read Online Free

grieve. Pancreatic cancer was a painful, terrible way to die. One that took much longer than she ’ d expected. The camera turned on her and she willed the tears back.
    “ She ’ s not here. She ’ s moved on. ” It was as if Lee recognized what she wanted to know. His eyes were compassionate and filled with regret.
    She wasn ’ t sure whether to believe him or not, but the man seemed genuine. He wasn ’ t a flamboyant personality, nor was he adorned with gaudy jewelry and carrying a crystal ball, as she might have expected. He didn’t throw himself on the floor and writhe about like a possessed lunatic. In fact, Lee just seemed like a quiet, introverted man.
    She wasn ’ t so closed-minded that she didn ’ t believe in extra senses. A lot of self-claimed psychics seemed to be frauds, though, taking advantage of people in their grief and desperation. Aunt Lois wasn ’ t so much psychic as she was eccentric. Her great-aunt felt things and knew things that went beyond regular human ability. Ava grew up in a town that feared and respected her family. She visited this mansion so often only a person in serious denial would claim it wasn ’ t haunted. She ’ d witnessed strange things that couldn ’ t be explained away.
    She wasn ’ t an idiot either. She ’ d never been a doormat, nor one to be taken for granted. Perhaps she was just jaded, but one ’ s worth had to be earned before her skepticism lifted. Before she trusted.
    When they came to the central hall, a large room once used as a private sitting room and lounge, Lee froze and ran his hands over his bald head with vigor.
    “ You okay, Lee? ” Elise asked.
    Lee didn ’ t answer. Instead, he spun in a slow circle.
    She looked around as well but didn ’ t see or hear anything. Wainscoting covered the lower half of the wall below the chair rail, and above it was pale green wallpaper in a faux botanical pattern. Various paintings of deep forests and foliage hung on the walls, but other than that, the room was barren of furniture.
    “ So much anger here, ” Lee said.
    Elise scribbled like a maniac.
    Lee quickly left the room and walked to the staircase, stopping at the base of the stairs leading to the third floor. He tilted his head, as if listening. “ Nothing. ”
    Elise made a note.
    They descended the stairs back to the main floor, but instead of heading out the front to get the others, Lee went into the kitchen and right out the back door.
    The enclosed yard had many mature birch, maple, and oak trees. Several stone benches and two café-style tables were set out for nicer weather. Along the south wall a perennial garden filled with black-eyed Susans, coneflowers, yellow roses, phlox, and violets, was now out of season and covered in leaves. On the other side of the north wall was the family ’ s private cemetery plot. Lee walked right to the east wall, where the jagged cliffs rose two-thousand feet above the tide.
    The tide surged, spraying saltwater when crashing against the varying boulders on this side of the shore, and too dangerous for even the most experienced of fisherman to navigate. She often came out here to think, watching the vast ocean and letting the calming sounds of the tide soothe her. Being out here was like being on top of the world. Time didn ’ t exist. The ocean never changed. It could be just as mystic and beautiful as it was deadly and tragic.
    As she got closer to Lee, she realized he wasn ’ t watching the water. He had his head tilted as if listening again.
    “ Two people. A man and a woman. No, a girl. She ’ s still here and won ’ t move on. No name. No name. Anger. Tears. Floating. Cold. ”
    Elise scribbled.
    Several beats passed before Lee ’ s shoulders sank, his chin dropping to his chest as if he just battled hell and barely survived.
    They passed through the south gate and walked around the house to the front, where the others waited. The conversation died when they came into view.
    “ Well? ” Jackson