Southern Haunts Read Online Free Page A

triumph. “You see? This is serious.”
    Wide-eyed, Jack continued, “We’ve never recorded something like that before. I mean we have voices, but they’re barely audible. This — man, you would’ve thought the band was right in that room.”
    “And that means that whatever is attacking Mrs. Darian, it is strong and determined. A moment ago, Mr. Porter, you asked for my hypothesis. I’ve changed my mind. I will tell you because I want you to grasp how dangerous this situation is.”
    Max did his best to hold back any sarcasm from his voice. “Please do.”
    “I think a woman died in that house during a party in the 1920s. I think that woman was pregnant. And I think she’s angered and confused by Shawnee Darian’s pregnancy. If we can get this ghost to realize she’s dead and that it’s okay for Shawnee to have a baby in the house, we might be able to get the dead woman to move on and stop haunting our client.”
    “We understand,” Sandra said.
    “I don’t think you really do. A case like this could take quite some time to finish. That’s the final part of the commitment I’m looking for from you two. I don’t want you promising Shawnee your help, dropping in the house, talking with the spirits for a little, and then leave declaring everything fixed. None of this will be done until Shawnee’s baby is born. Even after that, we might need to do regular follow-ups to make sure nothing starts up again. Are you prepared to help the Darians through this whole ordeal? Until the very end of it?”
    “You have my word,” Sandra said.
    Drummond shrugged. “Why not? I ain’t going anywhere.”
    Libby looked to Jack for a moment. If they communicated anything in that look, Max couldn’t tell. But then Libby turned back. “Okay. The house is close by. Elizabeth Street — just up the road and off Academy. You can follow us. Carl, our videographer on the team, he’s already there.” From beneath the table, she pulled out a briefcase and stuffed her files inside. “We’ll show you everything. Let’s go.”

 
    Chapter 4
     
    When Max had turned ten years old, he learned to roll with whatever the day brought. His special day began with the death of the family collie, Blondie, followed up with three hours caught in traffic, and ended with him being a half-hour late to his own party. As miserable as he felt at that moment, all his friends were waiting, and the party was a blast. Particularly because it ended with his first kiss — Sarah Wain.
    The current day had started bad and only grew worse by the minute. He would push on, though. Perhaps the day would end on a better note. As they drove along Elizabeth Street, however, Max didn’t feel so confident.
    It was a quiet neighborhood lined with old houses pressed in close. The road traveled up and down short, steep hills, and the pavement needed work. Old maples stretched their branches overhead.
    Everything about the area pointed to a lovely place to settle down. It chilled Max’s skin to think about what really went on behind the closed doors. He had seen enough of the city’s underbelly — the witches alone could cause nightmares. But here he would have to deal with a haunting. Despite how nonchalant he had felt when the Darians presented themselves at the office, approaching the house awakened his nerves.
    Max saw Libby’s car pull into the drive of an aqua-blue home with white trim and an American flag posted from the porch. He parked across the street. They were near the bottom of a downward slope which staggered the homes on a series of landings like steps. Cracks lined the concrete sidewalks.
    Drummond stood by the car and stared at the house. “This is the big, scary house? We’ve seen far worse.”
    “Yeah,” Max said. “Maybe that’s what bothers me.”
    Libby and Jack met them on the porch and ushered them in. The door opened to a living room with stairs on the left leading to the second floor. The walls were baby blue. A tattered sofa