Rosecliff Manor Haunting Read Online Free Page A

with you being here? Is something wrong? Is she all right?”
    “I haven’t heard from her in a while. I’m sure she’s fine. She always is.”
    “Then why bring her up at all?”
    Addison crossed her arms in front of her. “I was wondering … it’s just … you seem to know most people in the area, and …”
    “Oh, for goodness sake,” Helen said. “Are you going to make your point while I’m still alive to hear it?”
    “What do you know about Cliff Clark?”
    “It’s Clifford,” Helen corrected. “Not Cliff.”
    “Oh…kay. Clifford Clark. What can you tell me about him?”
    “He’s dead. What more is there to say?”
    “How did he die?”
    “What makes you think I know anything?”
    The two stared at each other for what seemed to Helen like a ridiculous amount of time. Addison leaned back, the look on her face implying she was satisfied for finally uttering what was on her mind. But what a peculiar thing to ask. Why would Addison be interested in Clifford? He didn’t even live in their town, so how did she know him? And why was she prying into his death? It wasn’t significant. It was ordinary. Unfortunate, but ordinary nonetheless.
    “I can’t imagine why Clifford interests you,” Helen said. “He didn’t live here, in Rhinebeck. As to your question about how he died, I might know a few things.”
    “Such as?”
    “Last year, he was diagnosed with coronary heart disease. Nasty business.”
    “Nasty … how?”
    “The vessels in his body became narrow and hard, making it difficult for blood to get through to the heart. His doctor suggested surgery. Clifford refused at first, until he had a heart attack and his body made the decision for him.”
    “So, after the heart attack, he agreed to the surgery?”
    Helen nodded. “Didn’t make things better though. Only made them worse.”
    “In what way?”
    “There were some complications. When the surgeon opened him up, he realized there was significant damage to Clifford’s heart tissue. He survived the operation, but his body shut down. He never made it back out of the hospital alive.” Helen tipped her head to the side. “Something tells me you already know that part of the story though, don’t you?”
    “I knew he wasn’t alive. I didn’t know the specifics of how it happened.”
    “What else do you know?”
    “He had two daughters. They both died when they were young, right?”
    There it was, at last. The root. The real reason Addison was sitting in her front parlor querying away. It didn’t have to do with Clifford. Not really. It was information on the girls she was after. “Clifford had twin girls. And you’re right, they died when they were children.”
    “How old were they?”
    “Around twelve or so, if I remember right.” Helen paused. “It was horrible, you know, the way they died. A nightmare no parent should ever have to live through.”
    “What happened?”
    It was so long ago, Helen only recalled vague details. “Seems like it was a holiday. Easter Sunday, I think. The family had gathered together to celebrate at the manor. Aunts, uncles, cousins—all there. After dinner, some of the guests left. Others remained. The children were told to go play in their room so the adults could—”
    “When you say children , are you referring to the twins, or were other children there too?”   
    “I can only tell you what was told to me. Nothing more. Now stop interrupting.” 
    Addison’s mouth clamped shut. Helen continued.
    “The adults were watching television. No. Wait a minute. That’s not right. They were having cocktails, listening to music. Yes, yes. It’s coming back to me now. When the record finished playing, I believe it was Clifford who got up to change it. He heard a noise outside, a loud thud, followed by another several seconds later. Some of the others heard it too. Rose opened the door, and—”
    “Who’s Rose?”
    Helen frowned at Addison’s second infraction.
    Addison’s hand flew to