Restless Spirits Read Free Page B

ran over the floor. Antique settees were arranged to face one another with comfortable-looking plush velvet chairs.
    The freestanding dark wood desk rested in front of the left wall. A woman dressed in a crisp white shirt, black suit jacket, and a black-and-white scarf greeted them with a smile.
    “Hello, welcome to The Eagle Inn. How can I help you?”
    “Hi, we have a reservation under Pierce Lane.” He dug into his back pocket and pulled out his wallet.
    Her fingers flew over the keys. “Oh yes, room sixteen. Tomorrow night you’ll have the run of the place for your investigation. We’re all terribly excited to see what will happen. They can be fickle, you know.” He glanced at her name tag, stunned by the lengths Andrea must’ve gone to make this happen. I’ll never bitch about her fee again.
    “Have you experienced anything, Maureen?”
    “I’ve seen the outline of a person a time or two in the parking lot, but I’m not very sensitive to these types of things.” She shrugged. Her almond-shaped brown eyes twinkled with mirth in her round face. With her coal-black hair pulled back into a bun and a light dusting of makeup, he couldn’t accurately gauge her age, but kindness flowed freely. He handed her his ID.
    “Has any activity ever been reported in room sixteen?” Demi asked, in investigative mode.
    “Not while I’ve been working here, the past five years, but I’d wager to say since the inn’s been opened there were incidents or sightings in all of them at one point or another.” The efficient way Maureen talked and processed paperwork told him she’d been asked many questions working behind the desk.
    “Have they come up with any theories on why this place is so active?” he asked.
    “A combination of its age, the fact that it was a pub where altercations occurred, and the very transient nature that comes with people constantly coming and going.”
    He glanced over and grinned. Demi had her head bent over a small notepad she scribbled in.
    “Are any of these incidents violent?”
    “Depends on your definition of violent. No one’s been hurt, but rattling beds and tugs on clothing can be quiet discombobulating. So I don’t think they’d call their interactions peaceful.” Maureen’s lips twitched up, and he chuckled. Demi grinned and peered at him.
    “I could see how that’d be true, Maureen,” Demi said.
    “Okay, you two are all checked in. I’ll escort you to the room now.” Maureen walked from behind the counter and led them over to a steep set of stairs with a polished wood hand railing. “This banister is actually an original that’s been restored and kept up over all these years.” Maureen ran her hands over the shiny surface, and Pierce followed her example. It humbled him to think of how long this had been around. They wound around a corner, passing the first level and onto the second, where Maureen took a left.
    “This is one of my favorite rooms. The decor is stunning and very romantic.” Maureen came to a stop in front of a heavy wooden door, removed a key from her coat pocket, and placed the clunky black key into the hole. She pushed the door open. Soft blue walls and a massive bed with lace covering over the four-poster’s canopy caught his attention first. A brilliant yellow coverlet with pink roses covered the wide expanse of the bed. The bed was so monstrous, a petite person would need a footstool to climb into it. Drapery of the same material decorated the top portion of the window directly in front of them.
    “Is there anything else I can get you other than this?” Maureen handed over the key.
    “No, thank you for being so helpful,” Pierce said.
    “Will you be working tomorrow?” Demi asked.
    “I will,” Maureen said.
    “Wonderful! Do you mind if I ask you a few more things?” Demi said.
    “Not at all. I’m looking forward to it.” Maureen smiled. “Now I’ll leave you to your evening. Please enjoy your stay.” She stepped away, closing the