The glint of a smile lit Haddie’s face. A pinkie swear was like gospel to Haddie. She raised her own hand, linking her pinkie with her mother’s and shaking.**********An explosion of dust burst before Scarlett’s face and she sputtered, flapping her hand around in an effort to dispel it. “God, this place is a mess,” she muttered. Still, there was life left in the old girl and she’d found it in an attic suite of rooms, rich with exposed beams and what she assumed were original hardwood floors that would be gorgeous once they were re-sanded and stained. There was only one window in the bedroom she’d designated her own, but it had a lovely view of the gazebo and towering conifers behind the yard, and featured a beautiful stained-glass transom window that made rainbow-colored light flood the space.
Haddie’s new room was much smaller, but spic and span now that she’d spent the morning cleaning it, and the shared bathroom—though rusty and under about seven layers of grime—was in working order.
They’d found the livable space after wandering what felt like an endless labyrinth of hallways and corridors, some doors still locked from within. Scarlett had mentally added a locksmith to her list of professionals to call, eyeing the antique glass doorknobs that featured large keyholes. When she’d bent and squinted one eye, pressing the other to the small opening, she’d discovered that a keyhole cover concealed her view.
The door to the attic stairs had stood wide open, that rainbow light shimmering on the walls, and drawing them toward its source. It had felt right the moment they’d entered.
Temporarily, she’d set them both up in what would be her bedroom and then started cleaning as soon as they’d woken up and disentangled themselves from the sleeping bags and blankets they’d snuggled under to camp on the floor. There were repairs over repairs to make, walls to repaint, fixtures to replace, furniture to buy, but for now . . . it was livable and that’s all they needed to get the more major work underway. Which was a boon because before they’d arrived, she hadn’t been sure the place was habitable, or whether they’d have to rent somewhere nearby as the remodeling work was being done. This attic space was going to save her a good amount of money—money that could be well used elsewhere.
At the thought of money—the money—a spear of guilt pierced her stomach, but she ignored it. She’d gone down this route. Too many times to count. She’d made her choice and she wasn’t going to spend the rest of forever beating herself up over it.
She focused back on the room around her. Yes, this space would be perfect once there were events at Lilith House that would spill out to the surrounding grounds, some of which might go late into the night. She’d considered the idea of having a small house built on the property, but this was better, and she’d be spared another expense. The expansive attic space was practically soundproof with its thick walls and solid-wood floors, and being so far away from the main floor of the house. Another white noise machine or two, and she and Haddie would still have their own quiet privacy.
Scarlett had contacted a handyman in Farrow, the town beyond Lilith House, and he was supposed to be by that afternoon. She wasn’t sure of the extent of his skills, but she hoped he could at least get the water running in the kitchen, tell her if the wiring seemed sound, and recommend a company that would do the heavier lifting of the substantial renovation she had planned, and a landscaping company that would help beautify the grounds.
The grounds were crucial to the success of the business she had planned.
Scarlett gave the top shelf of the closet another swipe, her hand bumping into something that slid backward, hitting the wall with a soft clink. Frowning, Scarlett went up on her toes, reaching blindly for the item, her fingers meeting what felt like cool metal. She gripped it, bringing her hand out and holding the item up in front of her.
A silver crucifix, darkened with tarnish.
Scarlett frowned, turning the item this way and that, taking in the fancy scrollwork, the lifelike metal rendering of Jesus, and the gemstones decorating all four points. They appeared to be diamonds, but Scarlett figured they were probably just cubic zirconia. Who would have left something as valuable as a diamond-encrusted crucifix behind?
For reasons she couldn’t quite explain, a chill moved down her spine. She had the strange urge to drop the crucifix as though if she held it too long, it might scald her flesh. She’d thought of this place as a haunted house just the day before, and this discovery definitely did nothing to diminish the creep factor.