Free The House on Lake Jasper: A Tilton Chartwell Mystery (Tilton Chartwell Mysteries Book 1) by Anne Kelleher

aloud.  “I think there’s someone in the house.”
     
    Everyone wants to go immediately to the attic, which disappoints Tilt, because part of her wants to stay and see if she can figure out if the woman with the bullet hole in her head is the same as the energy at the end of the dock. 
    But the voice is rising in her mind, until the words are almost all she can hear.  Don’t let them forget.  Don’t let them forget. 
    “Shall we head in, ladies,” asks Chuck. 
    “Wait a minute,” says Norah.  “I just want to know about the lights Tilton says she saw last night and Aubrey didn’t.  Who were they and why were they coming closer?”
    “Psychics attract spirits,” answers Chuck.  “Tilton’s a pretty strong psychic… they’re attracted to her, to her ability to connect with them and be aware of them.   That’s why they came closer.”
    “So, Tilton, Chuck – let me ask you - except for the lake tragedy,” says Mike, “you’re not seeing anything else out here?”
    Tilt hesitates.  Chuck freezes.  She glances at him, and notices he won’t meet her eyes, which feels a little strange, compared to just a few minutes ago.  And he looks upset, suddenly, almost angry. 
    “I’m not seeing anything more,” Tilt replies.  “But let me just tune in once more before we go inside, since you asked.”  She opens her eyes, puzzled.  The sense of Sarah’s gone, of the house, of the lake.  It’s like someone’s swept the fields clean… empty.  Everything is suddenly… empty. 
    That’s so strange, thinks Tilt.  What the hell’s just happened?
    But before she can share that for some reason, her psychic sense has totally and completely failed her, Norah points to the top of the house.  “I see something.”  She tugs at Neale’s sleeve.  “Look…look, everyone, look and tell me you see it too?  It’s a woman, right? See her?”  Norah sounds a little hysterical, a little high.  “In that turret room… do you see her? Please tell me you see her… she’s looking at us.”
    Don’t let them forget.  Even before she looks up, Tilt knows who Norah’s seeing. 
    “Oh, my God,” says Aubrey, nudging her so hard Tilt winces.  “I do see her, and look, Tilt…wouldn’t you say that’s our room?”
     
     

Chapter Thirteen
     
    Before Tilt can say anything, Norah and Aubrey take off toward the house. 
    “Hey,” says Connie.  “Wait for me.   Come on, Mike.”
    “I guess that’s where we’re headed next?” says Neale, rhetorically.  “After you, Mr. Cahill.”
    “Coming, Tilt?” asks Chuck, when Tilt hesitates.  She was so sure that energy from last night is associated with whatever she’s sensed at the end of the dock.  So where is that angry spirit so hell bent on getting Connie out of her house?  Who is she, and why’s she so angry, and more importantly, why isn.t she showing herself now?  Today?  When she has the opportunity to tell everyone… including both Chuck and Tilt? 
    And this is even stranger… it’s like someone turned the lights out.  Tilt glances around, wondering what exactly is happening. 
    Chuck touches her arm.  “Earth to Tilton.  You okay?”
    She comes to herself with a start.  “Oh, yeah.  Sorry.  It’s just… I was sure I felt something out here last night… something…oh, I don’t know.  It’s not here now.”
    “Don’t apologize.  I think we should keep up with the others, though.”
    As they start across the lawn, Tilt starts to feel an increasing pressure around her chest, something very much akin to what she felt last night.  The closer she gets to the house, the more she feels as if she’s walking into something that feels like a waiting beast.  “Emmeline and Harriet…. Any idea when they died?”
    “They both lived to quite old…Emmeline into her 90’s and Harriet… didn’t she make it past 100?”  Chucks asks Krystal, who’s waiting for them as they round the corner of the house.