Death by Chocolate (The Davenports 2)

“We’re doing a ghost tour.” Stephanie gestured between herself and Josh.

“Here?”

“In the tri-state area,” Josh replied.

“Is Cincinnati really that haunted?” she asked, tensing.

“It’s not a ghost mecca, but with the buildings and land being so old, there are things said to linger. We’ve also got a lot of underground places still in existence.”

“What do you mean?” Images of tunnels running beneath her apartment complex made her nervous.

“Well, they started building a subway system in the early twentieth century, and the city ran out of money and scrapped the entire thing but left the start of the project behind. It’s the largest abandoned subway in North America. You can go once a year to view the abandoned tunnels. It attracts plenty of people who want to go down there solo and take photos and what not. But so many of them claim to be chased away by angry spirits. It’s a little too IT for me.” Josh gave an exaggerated shudder.

“That is creepy but fascinating at the same time. Why would spirits be down there? You say it was never used, right?”

“Yes, but the rumor is, the real reason the project was abandoned was the spirits in the first place,” Stephanie said.

“Are you trying to freak me out?” Daize narrowed her eyes, searching for signs that they were pulling her leg.

“No. If you go to the Cincinnati Museum center, they have a video and books on it. They’re the ones who actually host the tour every year. I’d be afraid of getting lost down there.” Stephanie held up her hand.

“We also have a past with mobsters. There’s a gangster tour you can take. You know what they say, ‘Live by the gun, die by the gun’. The tour isn’t pitched as haunted, but that level of violence must leave behind an imprint,” Sophie said.

“I never would’ve guessed that about Cincinnati.” Daize digested the information, wondering if it was a possibility she lived by a site that once saw criminal activity.

“People always think Chicago or New York, but the mobs were everywhere.” Stephanie gestured with her hands.

“Fair point. I want to hear more.”

“Oh, now she’s getting into the spirit,” Josh crowed, rubbing his hands together. “The Cincinnati Zoo is the second oldest in the world. So, it shouldn’t be surprising they have a ghost lion.”

She laughed. “Are you kidding?”

“No. They say he walks through walls,” Josh assured her.

“I don’t even know what to say to that one. Are there any major things that have happened?”

“Hmmm. There was an explosion at an artillery factory, but that wasn’t a high body count. Maybe I’d say the old Dunham Tuberculosis hospital. Most people went there to die, and the tunnels probably saw thousands of bodies in the fifty years it was open. They used to call tuberculosis the white death, and by the time most came to the hospital it was already too late to help them.” Stephanie shook her head.

“Wow. Is it still standing?”

“No, the tunnels are really all that remain other than a plaque and a stone pillar left from the original building. The Dunham recreation center now stands above the site. Plenty of workers say it’s active, and refuse to set foot in the tunnels underground,” Josh added.

“Is that anywhere near me?” Daize whispered.

“Where do you stay again?” Sophie asked.

“At the Claymore apartments in Clifton Gaslight district.” The thought of the ghosts of people who had spent the end of their lives in pain and torment from a disease with no real cure, and at that time, no treatment to bring comfort disturbed her.

“Oh, it’s about twenty minutes from you, so not really.” Sophie shook her head.

She relaxed. “I think I’ll try another bourbon drink,” Daize said.

They laughed, dispelling the tension that had built up.

“SHOULD I BE WORRIED that you’re plying with me cookies before you give me bad news?” Daize took in the ‘Insomnia Cookies’ in purple above an awning of the same coloring.

“Why does the half-eaten cookie have a moon background?” Daize asked, intrigued with the late-night cookie theme.