The Haunting of Branden Bay: A Ghost Cozy Mystery (Branden Bay Paranormal Cafe Book 3) by Kelly Mason

Author:Kelly Mason [Mason, Kelly]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781914922022
Publisher: Little Orchard Press
Published: 2021-09-20T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 12

I ignored my calls for the rest of the day. Although my escapades must have got back to Katherine as she texted me to say Andrew had accused her of spying. I was pleased when Dannie said she was going out with a friend for dinner. She’d been giving me a wide birth and I guessed she could tell that I wanted to be left alone.

After the sun had disappeared, I wandered into the lifeless café with Constance at heel. I pulled the blinds. A buzz of electricity shot up my back, alerting me to Ben’s presence. The static felt even more intense than usual, as it travelled to my hands. I spun around.

Ben flickered in the middle of the café, with a roll-up in his mouth. His white hair glowed like illuminated candyfloss.

I stared at him as I clenched my fists, attempting to eliminate the static from my hands. “Before you start. I’ve had a bad day. I can’t cope with this.”

Constance gave a low wailing meow as her coat bushed out.

I felt a surge of emotional pain, a mixture of desperation and helplessness, emitting from Ben. I stepped back as he opened his mouth.

“Accept it.” He stretched his hand out.

I moved back. Static nipped at my fingers and his emotions dragged through my chest.

“You are not alone.” He disappeared as if that was all he could muster.

I slumped to the table and put my head in my hands, feeling the tears wet my palms, as my body fizzed with dissipating electricity. I attempted to shake off the negative emotion.

“They aren’t my feelings,” I whispered.

I was lucky. Unlike the ghosts I had seen over these past couple of months, I was alive. Indeed, since moving to Branden Bay, I’d felt more alive than ever. I guess the extreme bad times had resulted in extreme good times. And there was no point in running away. What would I do if I went back to London? I sighed and sat up to allow a meowing Constance to jump on my lap.

I assumed when Ben said ‘accept it’ he’d meant I had to accept the gift. Fighting it was probably making things worse. And I was charging around trying to do too much myself. Ben was right. I wasn’t alone. I had a great bunch of people around me. But not H. No, I thought. If he comes knocking on my door, he can forget it.

The doorbell rang. Oh. I hoped that wasn’t him.

I went to my private entrance. Before opening the door, I checked my reflection in the porch mirror. Mascara had smudged down my face like chocolate sauce oozing over an ice cream. If it was H, I would definitely not answer.

The letterbox lifted.

“Becky, hey. Are you in?” It was Annie.

I puffed out then opened the door. As soon as she came in, I threw my arms around her.

“I thought I’d pop by. Are you okay?” she asked.

“I presume H sent you?”

“I … er …”

I leaned back and studied her eyes.

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