The Ghostess and Mister Muir by J.L. Salter

Author:J.L. Salter [Salter, J.L.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Dingbat Publishing
Published: 2022-11-17T00:00:00+00:00

Wednesday night

Danielle monitored her suitemate before she made her presence known. Muir, looking comfortable and relaxed, smelled of burned cheese and baked bread dough.

Not counting their contact during Muir’s dreams, tonight would be her third visit and third visual appearance. Never before, in her hundred years of lingering limbo, had she made multiple appearances to one individual, much less such sustained visits. Muir had certainly intrigued her, along with creating considerable perplexity and consternation.

Muir sat in the upholstered chair gazing through their east window. No doubt he would enjoy the sunset if he occupied the opposite corner of that structure.

This time, after concentrating a delicate gust of air into his face and humming part of her favorite chorus, she manifested her form on the opposite side of that parlor, near the open entrance to the kitchen.

Muir did not know where Danielle was until she spoke.

“Oh, hi. I was hoping you’d come.” He turned in his chair and started to rise.

She motioned for him to remain seated. “Remember? No approach.”

He groaned. “So many stinking rules.”

“I hope you understand by now that I do not establish these parameters, I merely inform you they already exist.”

“Yeah, I know. But still…”

He was definitely impatient and stubborn, but Danielle found many attractive qualities among those demerits. One of the most impactful, she realized, was Muir’s total lack of apprehension. Her contacts with him had been her first ever normal interactions — well, as normal as could be between a mortal and a disenfranchised spirit. He also somewhat reminded her of Neddy. A shame to take advantage of him.

“I notice you enjoy that window, Mr. Muir. It was also my favorite for the many months I lived here.”

Muir nodded. “Sometimes I sense I should be able to see something particular out there, but unless I look northeast toward the river and the railroad bridge, all I see are buildings in general.” He pointed. “But something keeps pulling my attention to the southeast. All I can make out, that direction, is the south parking lot of the library.”

Danielle’s form moved near enough to look over his shoulder. “Oh, I believe I know what your eyes search for. The Monkey Puzzle tree.”

“The what?”

“Across Orchid Street used to be many single-story wood frame shops and beyond Mayapple Street there were several fine homes. One of those belonged to a retired sea captain, who planted a peculiar tree he’d obtained from Chile, I believe.”

“And what did you call it?”

“It has a Latin name I do not recall at the moment, but everyone referred to it as a Monkey Puzzle.”

Muir’s face indicated its own puzzlement.

“Supposedly named because some member of royalty exclaimed its branches were so irregular that even a monkey could not climb it.” Danielle gazed toward the spot of the captain’s former home. “However, I believe monkeys are no more puzzled by that tree than by any other.”

“Monkey Puzzle tree, right here in downtown Magnolia.”

“It was not a particularly attractive sight, but it intrigued me nonetheless. Sometimes I can still see it, but not at this moment.

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