The Night Tourist by Katherine Marsh

Author:Katherine Marsh
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Fiction - Young Adult
Publisher: Disney Publishing Worldwide

XVIII | Chumley’s

Jack went up four steps, then down four steps, turned a corner, and found himself standing in a series of dimly lit rooms. Sawdust covered the wood floors, and two old Labrador retrievers stretched out in front of the dying embers of the fireplace, whining in their sleep. The walls were covered with a combination of photos of New York City firefighters and famous authors, as well as some of their book jackets. Two dozen ghosts dressed in old-fashioned clothes, all with the same wan faces and flat, lifeless eyes, floated beside the wooden tables. A ghost bartender washed glasses by the bar. “Where are the living?” Jack asked.

“The place closed hours ago,” said Euri. Lowering her voice, she added, “But I’m sure someone here will be able to tell us more. Chumley’s used to be a speakeasy during Prohibition. That’s why the door is so hard to find. You can see it’s just a regular old bar now, but there are still some weird old ghosts that hang out here.” She pointed to a table at the back of the bar. “See that guy?”

A stubbly gray face hung in the shadowy corner like a gargoyle. The ghost sat alone, one thick hand mechanically reaching down for a glass and lifting it to his lips. “I bet he’s been coming here a long time,” Euri continued. “He may know something about that asterisk.”

They weaved through the crowd, but as they came closer to the man’s table, Jack noticed that the grizzled ghost wasn’t by himself. Sitting next to him in the shadows was a flapper who looked a few years older than Jack and Euri. She wore a beaded green dress that ended midthigh, and a feather in her hair. Her bobbed black hair framed a pair of dark, catlike eyes. They flashed up at Euri and Jack. “Well, lookie here, Harry. We have visitors.”

The ghost with the massive, stone face nodded but said nothing.

“You look underage,” the flapper said, pointing at Jack. “Not that I care,” she added with a yawn.

“Well, you look underage yourself,” Euri shot back.

The ghost in the green dress looked Euri up and down. “Not so good dying in a school uniform, is it, sister?”

Jack could see a small vein on Euri’s temple throb. She looked ready to say something really nasty. He decided to step in. “We want to talk to him,” he said, pointing to the stone-faced man. “We need some information.”

“Him?” said the ghost in the green dress. “What does he know?”

“Well,” Jack stammered. “We need someone who’s been dead awhile. Who might know about some of the . . . the unnatural things that can happen.”

A hoarse, croaky voice cut in. “I been dead only seventeen years,” said the old-looking ghost.

Jack looked at Euri, who had crossed her arms and was working her jaw in an angry way. He raised his eyebrows to signal that maybe they should go.

“What ‘unnatural’ things?” asked the ghost in the green dress, narrowing her eyes.

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