Black Wave by Devon Glenn

Author:Devon Glenn [Glenn, Devon]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781982203153
Publisher: Balboa Press
Published: 2018-05-23T04:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 22

Forget-Me-Nots

“We renamed the hotel the Black Wave after a great storm that killed the original innkeeper’s wife,” Joan explained to Elerick, who stood outside next to Emily, Sadie, and Jenna with his hands in his pockets, admiring the hotel’s newly renovated exterior. The three-story building had survived the storm, as it had survived several other storms and the great fire more than a century before. An anomaly of neoclassical architecture, the hotel had plain walls, tall windows, and white columns that stood muted and dignified among the rows of Victorian gingerbread homes in garish colors that lined Beach Avenue. “The building was never quite as cheerful as the Painted Ladies next door,” Joan added, “but now that we’ve renovated it, I think it looks sleek and understated.” It had taken eighteen years to get the Black Wave in shape for guests to arrive, and in that time, Burt and Joan had waited patiently while their loans fell through, their construction plans stalled, and the worst recession in decades kept a fair number of tourists at home.

Once Emily’s parents had permission from the town’s planning commission, the couple immediately began work on renovating the new hotel’s interior. Burt went all out and added a restaurant with floor-to-ceiling windows facing the Atlantic Ocean. Emily noticed the way her mother recounted these details with pride now that it was all over.

“There’s also a full bar,” Emily assured Elerick.

He smiled. “I got your invite.”

Joan pointed to the top floors, which held rows of summery guest rooms filled with sleigh beds and jetted tubs. “These, you’ve seen already,” she said.

Elerick nodded. “They’re very nice. I slept like a log.” It was clear to Emily at least that Elerick had seen enough of the hotel; he was preoccupied looking at her.

“How’s your dad doing, Elerick?” Joan asked, suddenly realizing that she was losing his attention.

“He’s good. He sold the apartment complex about a month ago, and now he’s driving across the country in an RV. It’s something he couldn’t do with my mom around.”

“Ha! I bet not,” Joan said, chuckling. “She would have hated being stuck inside a car for that long. Running across the country, maybe, but not driving.”

Elerick nodded and followed Joan across the threshold and up the stairs, with Sadie, Jenna, and Emily trailing behind him. He didn’t have much to say, but his presence somehow brightened the grayness of the winter morning. Inside the séance room, Sadie and Jenna watched him sink into an armchair like they were watching a rope of soft-serve ice cream being poured into a waffle cone just for them.

Emily, however, was distracted by something the others couldn’t see. Across the room, the ghost of Darthilda was peering at Elerick with wonder. Emily followed Dar’s sightline to the armchair where he sat, only it seemed that she was looking at something above his head. Whatever it was, it must have been beautiful.

Soon, a man passed right through Elerick, sending a shiver through the living man’s body as the phantom glided toward Dar as if the two of them were the only people in the séance room.

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