Case of the Highland House Haunting Read online

  “That’s what I thought he wanted to do, too,” I confessed. “Then he explained what he had in mind. It never dawned on me that wine could be made by using fruits other than grapes.”

  Jillian excitedly clapped her hands together.

  “Oh! I should have seen that coming! He’s going to expand Lentari Cellar’s offerings, isn’t he?”

  I nodded, “Yep. He admitted it’ll take a while. These are more long term plans, since I was told that the wine an apple produces typically has to be aged for at least two years.”

  “That is a long time,” Jillian admitted.

  “What are your favorites?” I asked. “Besides your fancy champagne, that is.”

  Crystal Rose was Jillian’s favorite drink. To say that the woman had expensive tastes would be an understatement as each bottle carried a $400 price tag. Before you ask, yes, I can confirm that’s how much they cost since I have purchased a few bottles for her. More than a few, if you must know. Thankfully, Jillian doesn’t drink it too often. Usually, it’s to celebrate the holidays, or some personal achievement that either of us makes. To give you an example, I bought her a bottle when I announced my latest book had actually hit the USA Today best seller’s list. While impressive, I had been shooting for the NY Times, but then again, beggars can’t be choosers. For the record, I have hit both of the lists before, but it has been quite a while for either of them.

  “Well, let’s see,” Jillian began, as she considered the question. “You obviously know about Crystal Rose. Do you know what I would suggest Lentari Cellars should try making? Berry wines. I’ve had a few that were fantastic. There’s this winery in Salem that has several offerings, including gooseberry and elderberry.”

  I couldn’t help it. I grinned. Then, I turned to point at the third section, namely the straight-as-an-arrow rows of young bushes.

  “I’m really glad you said that. I know Caden has planted a variety over there, but some of the berries I do remember are marionberry, gooseberry, and blueberry.”

  “You like marionberries?” Jillian suddenly asked, interested. “They’re one of my favorite berries.”

  “Lady, they are my favorite berry.”

  Jillian giggled and nodded appreciatively.

  “You guys are really planning for the future, aren’t you?”

  “Caden is, I’m not. I just write the checks.”

  “If you don’t mind me asking, where are you going to store all this new wine you two are going to make? You mentioned that much of the fruit-based wine requires several years to age.”

  “Funny you should mention that,” I began, as I pointed at the large, distant building to the south, “The main winery building does have a few storerooms, but, you’re right. There’s not much room there. If we’re going to have to store barrels of wine, then we’re going to need something a little bit bigger.”

  “We?” Jillian repeated, offering me a dazzling smile.

  I looked at my girlfriend and slowly nodded, “Yeah, you heard right. That wasn’t a pronoun problem. I value your opinion and like to think of the winery as ours.”

  Jillian leaned over and gave me a tender hug.

  “Thank you, Zachary.”

  “You’re welcome. So, speaking of storage, where do you think I should have the new warehouse built?”

  “Hmm? You’re going to build a new warehouse?”

  I grinned, “Hey, I’m trying to think about the future, right? If this new venture takes off, and I have a feeling that it will as long as Caden is at the helm, then we’re going to need a bigger place to allow the wine to age properly. With that being said, where do you think it ought to go?”

  Jillian immediately turned and pointed back towards the winery.

  “I’d say right next to the winery itself. There’s a decent section of land on the east side of the building. That’s more than enough room to make yourself a new storage facility.”

  “Isn’t that where the students park their cars?” I asked.

  “For Caden’s classes? Probably. But, those kids are resourceful. There’s still plenty of open land around there where they could park. It shouldn’t be a problem for you. Or for him, for that matter.”

  I gave Jillian a warm smile and placed my hand over hers.

  “Thanks. I appreciate the insight.”

  “You’re welcome. And, for the record, I enjoy being included, even though you know you don’t have to. So, as long as we’re talking about expansions…”

  “Are you looking to expand your cookbook store?” I curiously asked, after Jillian trailed off.

  “No, not that. Cookbook Nook is performing just fine. For a specialty book store here in PV, it has exceeded my expectations.”

  “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” I told her.

  She nodded, “Exactly.”

  “Then, what’d you have in mind?”

  “Are you familiar with any of the historic houses here in PV?”

  “Only yours,” I told her, as we resumed our tour of the newly planted orchard. “Carnation Cottage, right?”

  “Yes. Well, there are a number of them located throughout PV. Have you heard about Highland House?”

  I shrugged, “I’ve heard the name in passing a few times. I don’t think I could tell you where it is. What about it?”

  “Well, you may or may not have heard, but it has been purchased. By me. I’m going to turn it into a B&B.”

  “A bed and breakfast? Nice! Umm, don’t you have enough to do with your book store?”

  Jillian nodded, “I do, which is why I won’t be running it. I have an old friend moving back into town who has tons of hotel management experience. I’ve already talked to her, and she says she’s more than willing to run it for me.”

  “That seems awful convenient. You want to start another business, and have a friend who happens to have the skillset necessary to make it succeed. I’m curious. And please, if it feels like I’m pressuring you to divulge information I don’t need to know, just say so.”

  “I think I know what you’re going to ask, but I assure you, it is okay. Ask away.”

  I gave her a warm smile.

  “Thanks. All right, what came first? The purchase of the property, or the phone call with your friend?”

  Jillian smiled and nodded, “My phone call with Lisa. It just so happened that I learned Highland House was on the market earlier that same day.”

  I shrugged, “Okay. It must have been her lucky day.”

  Jillian shrugged, “I, er, have the financial abilities to help my friends out, as you know, and I’m always looking for a good investment. Highland House hadn’t been on the market that long, less than a week, I believe. I’ve loved that house ever since I first laid eyes on it. So, as soon as I saw the For Sale sign, I contacted the realtor and told them I was interested. We negotiated a good price and voila!”

  “One instant B&B,” I murmured. “Wow, when you want to do something, you just get right out there and do it, don’t you?”

  “If you’re worrying about my financial well-being,” Jillian began, “then I can assure you that you don’t have to. Michael was a very savvy businessman. He made sure that if anything ever happened to him, then I’d be taken care of.”

  Referencing her late husband always brought a pang of loss to Jillian’s lovely face. The pain of losing a loved one never truly goes away. At best, the pain will become more bearable and you will learn to cope with it. I should know. I lost my wife to a car crash and her loss is something I still think about every single day. But, will I dwell on it? Does it control my every waking moment? No. As for Jillian, well, Michael, unfortunately, died from cancer several years ago. I never got a chance to know him, since I hadn’t moved to PV just yet, but something tells me we would have gotten along just fine.

  “How many businesses do you actually own here in PV?” I asked, genuinely curious. Then, with a shudder, I had one of my rare out-of-body experiences and heard how that must have sounded. “Sorry. I sh
ouldn’t be asking you those kinds of questions. It’s none of my business.”

  Jillian drove to the side of the winery and parked next to the old flatbed truck, donated by Caden’s father a few months back. She placed a reassuring hand over mine.

  “Don’t worry about it, Zachary. I ordinarily wouldn’t confide this to anyone, but you’re special. Quite honestly, I have more money than I know what to do with. I have been helping friends of mine start their businesses for a while now. Do I know how many? The answer is no, I don’t. I have no idea how many businesses I either own or have a financial stake in. That’s a job for my accountant, and let me tell you, he earns every dollar he charges me.”

  “That’s very noble of you,” I decided. “Not many people would be willing to support their friends financially.”

  “I can see you’re curious,” Jillian told me.

  “Curious about what?” I wanted to know.

  “How much Michael must have left me in order to keep continually starting up businesses.”

  I shook my head, “No worries. I meant what I said. It is none of my business.”

  “Think of me as a female Richie Rich.”

  My eyebrows shot up. I figured she must have been loaded, but Richie Rich rich? Was she serious? Holy cow.

  “Wow. You’re not exaggerating? Why did you tell me that? That isn’t something I necessarily need to know.”

  “You’re you,” Jillian said, by way of answer. “And it’s only for your ears. I trust you. Implicitly.”

  I nodded and stepped out of the Gator. I offered my hand to her as she went to step down.

  “You’re secret is safe with me. Have you always wanted to open a bed and breakfast?”

  Jillian nodded, “Believe it or not, I have. I guess I’m attracted to the old-fashioned way of caring for guests. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think I have the temperament to run it myself, although I know I could if I had to.”

  “What made you choose Highland House?”

  “It’s a gorgeous house and I think it has so much potential,” Jillian answered. “It has sat, vacant, for so long that I just want to see it fully restored and looking the way it did during its heyday.”

  “And when was that?” I asked.

  “You’ve heard of the ‘Roaring Twenties’?”

  I nodded, “Of course. Who hasn’t?”

  “Highland House has a lot of history, dating all the way back to the ‘20s and ‘30s. Did you know that it’s rumored to be haunted?”

  “Psssht,” I scoffed. “There’s no such thing.”

  “I agree, yet there have been supposed sightings and disturbances for decades.”

  “I’d say it was just people’s imaginations running away with them.”

  Jillian gave me an approving smile, “That’s what I think, too. When my realtor called me to say that my offer had been accepted on Highland House, well, I knew it was meant to be. I have the means to restore that house to its full glory and I mean to do that. With a few modern upgrades, of course.”

  “Good for you. I’m sure it’ll become the talk of the town once more. I rather like the idea of preventing a piece of history from fading into obscurity.”

  “Fading into obscurity?” Jillian repeated, giggling. “I like that. Might have to get that printed on a pamphlet.”

  “Ha ha.”

  “So, can I ask you what you think about B&Bs?’

  I shrugged, “To be honest, I don’t really think they’re my thing.”

  “Can I ask you why?”

  “Bathrooms, I think.”

  “It will have running water,” Jillian assured me, with a twinkle in her eye.

  “Sorry, I should have elaborated. I know it’ll have running water, and plumbing. What I meant was, I’m not keen on sharing bathrooms with strangers. Now, I’m okay with sitting down at a large table and having dinner with some people I don’t know, but the last thing I want to do is share a bar of soap with someone, or find a fingernail clipping on the counter, or…”

  “Okay, okay, you’ve made your point,” Jillian squeezed out, between laughs. “However, I should inform you that most of the rooms on the second floor already have bathrooms. I think there’s just a few that have Jack and Jill bathrooms. It wouldn’t take much to split them up. I like this. Thank you, Zachary. Is there anything else you can think of?”

  “Well, if you’re asking me, then I’d have to say… make Highland House pet friendly. People like traveling with their pets, and they always enjoy finding a good place that welcomes their furry companions with open arms.”

  “Allow pets,” Jillian repeated, as she nodded. “You’re turning out to be a veritable treasure trove of information. I like it. I wish I had a notebook or something to jot these ideas down.”

  I produced a small notebook from my back pocket and held it out to her. There was even a tiny pen clipped to the inside.

  “You’re dating a writer. I typically have a notebook of some fashion on me at all times. You never know when inspiration will strike.”

  “What would you think about retaining the ‘haunted’ motif?”

  Surprised, I turned to my girlfriend and gave her an appraising stare.

  “What?” Jillian asked.

  “Didn’t they make a movie about that? High Spirits, with Steve Guttenberg. The movie was about a guy who tried to make others believe a castle was haunted.”

  “Only, it turned out it was haunted,” Jillian added, with a coy smile.

  “You’ve seen it! Oh, I’m so impressed. Wouldn’t that be cool, though? If your Highland House was actually haunted? Man, you’d have to sign me up to be your first guest if that was true.”

  Jillian’s phone rang. She pulled her cell out of her purse, gave the display a quick glance, and then answered it.

  “Hello, Robert. How is everything proceeding? I… what? What’s that? Oh, no! Are you serious? Oh, that’s terrible! What will… no. No, absolutely not. Zack and I are on our way.”

  “What’s going on?” I asked, as soon as Jillian was off the phone.

  I knew something bad had happened, because Jillian’s eyes had filled with tears.

  “That was Robert,” Jillian sniffed, as she pulled a tissue from her purse. She hastily dabbed her eyes before taking my hand and pulling me towards the house. “He’s the foreman overseeing the renovations at Highland House. Last week, one of the contractors was electrocuted.”

  “Jeez, that’s terrible!” I agreed.

  “It happened while a group of kids were taking a field trip right in front of the house.”

  “Oh, man,” I moaned. “That can’t be good.”

  “Thankfully, both of the teachers kept their wits about them, kept the children calm, and were able to call for an ambulance.”

  “The poor guy. I can’t imagine what his family is going through right about now.”

  “Oh, he survived,” Jillian said, as we hurried up the steps into my house. “Don’t get me wrong, getting electrocuted is never a good thing, but at least it wasn’t fatal.”

  “This happened last week and they’re just now telling you about it?” I demanded, growing angry. “Why in the hell did they take so long to tell you? You’re the owner of that building, aren’t you? Aren’t you entitled to be told the instant it happened?”

  “I already knew about it,” Jillian confessed, as she pulled two leashes off their hooks by the door. By this time, both of the dogs had awoken from where they had been sleeping on the couch and were watching us with concerned expressions. “Sherlock? Watson? Come on. Want to go for a ride?”

  The dogs executed simultaneous leaps from the couch and bounded over to us. Once the leashes were clipped on, we headed back outside. I pointed at my Jeep and then at Jillian’s SUV.”

  “Want me to drive or do would you like to?”

  “You drive. Please.”

  “You were saying?” I said, once we had pulled away. “Something else has clearly happened. What’s going on? Has someone els
e been hurt?”

  “There’s been another accident,” Jillian softly told me. “This time… this time there’s been a death.”

  TWO

  Jillian and I drove non-stop, straight to Highland House. As we pulled in front of the house and parked alongside of Oregon Street, I couldn’t help but question her choice of investments. This was the house that she had purchased? I must have driven by this thing countless times without so much as giving it a second’s thought. However, Jillian must have noticed the potential in the house, because from the number of vans, trucks, and equipment outside the house, she was sinking a lot of money into its renovation.

  Thankfully, the drive from my house into town was long enough to allow Jillian to calm down. She had placed a few more calls, and even texted a few people, but at least her eyes were clear. In fact, if I didn’t know any better, I’d say a firm resolve had settled over her features. Was it me, or did Jillian suspect foul play?

  “Highland House was built in the late 19th century,” Jillian told me, as we exited my Jeep. “It’s a wonderful example of a Victorian Italianate villa, which is what attracted me to it in the first place.”

  “Victorian Italian something-or-other?” I repeated, as I looked at her. “Tell me you didn’t just make that up.”

  Jillian offered me a smile and shook her head, “Actually, I didn’t. Victorian Italianate is a style of architecture that first became popular in England at the beginning of the 18th century. Here in the United States, it didn’t catch on until 1840s, and then, only up through the 1890s, I believe. Want to know what I like most about the style?”

  I nodded, “Sure.”

  “The corbels.”

  “The what?”

  Jillian pointed up at the roof and then singled out the corner closest to us. There, just under the roofline, a carved piece of wood jutted out from the wall, looking like it was just an oversized ornate bracket. To me, it looked as though the bracket was only there to hold the weight of the roof, but why they had to make it so detailed was beyond me. A quick check of the other corner that I could see confirmed there was a similar bracket there, too.