"Ah, yes, I remember now. You're Ester's granddaughter."

"You knew my Grandmother?"

"You find that surprising? Harrisonville isn't that large of a town that I wouldn't know someone living here as long as she did. Now, while we wait for Herman, and provided you feel up to talking about what happened, I'd like to take your statement."

"Yes, of course, Chief. Would you like some coffee?"

"Yes, I would, I am surprised you would drink any, though."

Carolyn smiled weakly. "Why? Because coffee isn't good for you?"

"Yes, but also because caffeine doesn't quite fit with the health conscience motif of Herbs and More."

"No," Carolyn admitted, "But aren't I allowed one small vice?"

"As long as the vice is legal, I've no objection what-so-ever. And, please, call me Eric."

After a few attempts to separate the coffee filters, she ended up using several. Her hand shook as she measured the coffee, managing to get most of it in the machine and not on the counter. Taking a deep breath, she told Eric all she remembered, starting with when she retired for the night. Carolyn did leave out the fact she and Sarah had been reading her grandmother's Book of Shadow earlier. When a knock came at the door, Eric stood, motioning for Carolyn to remain seated. "That will be Herman. I'll let him in."

Chief Rose let Herman in and told him what he knew about the break-in before returning to the living room. "Herman's good at his job," he told her. "He'll find out how your mystery woman got in and where she went."

"I hope so. I know I locked all the doors and windows before I went upstairs for the night. I also remember hearing a crash, like breaking gla.s.s. Did she break a window to get in?"

"No, they're all fine. I did find a broken vase in the foyer though. That's probably what you heard."

Carolyn reflected a moment. "I suppose--."

"Hey, Chief. You better come see this," Herman interrupted from the kitchen.

Carolyn followed Chief Rose to where Herman held the back door open. On the outside portion, 'GET OUT', had been written in large letters with what she hoped was red paint. Even though the porch light was off, she still saw the dark shape swaying from the rafters in the darkness, light reflecting off its open eyes.

"Chester!" she screamed.

"Is Chester your cat, ma'am?" Herman asked.

Holding back her tears, Carolyn answered, "Yes."

"I saw him a minute ago, he sure was heading for the hills," he said, pointing toward the foyer. Then, jerking his thumb at the swinging animal, he added, "This here's a racc.o.o.n."

Relief and anger swept over Carolyn. "Why is a racc.o.o.n hanging from my back porch?"

"Probably put there to scare you," Chief Rose offered.

"Whoever did this also cut the animal's throat and used the blood to write this filth on your door," Herman added.

"Who would do something so evil?" she demanded.

The chief took Carolyn by the arm and led her back into the living room. "At first, I thought this might be teenagers doing a prank of some sort. Halloween is not far off and sometimes they like to get an early start."

"But?"

"But, now I'm not so sure. They've never done anything quite this bad before. This house has been a favorite target of teenagers over the years. The house's reputation draws them more than any other reason, I suppose. Usually, they toilet paper the front porch or leave a lighted bag of dog p.o.o.p by the door. Nothing quite this bad though. We'll know better once Herman finishes his investigation."

"I can tell you this much, Chief, they didn't come in through the front or back doors. You said you heard the lady slide back the bolt on the front door to let you in, and I noted the back door dead bolted as well. All the windows are locked," Herman said.

"So how did she get in?" Carolyn asked.

Herman shook his head. "Don't know, but I will before I'm done." Herman turned around and went back into the kitchen.

"He will too," Chief Rose said. "He's like a pit bull when it comes to the unexplained. He won't sleep until he figures out all the answers."

By morning, Herman found, to Carolyn's embarra.s.sment, Ester's altar room, but no other exit from the house the intruder may have used. Chief Rose left around five o'clock to check on an early morning fender bender in town, and Herman left around nine, scratching his head as he went out the door. He collected some evidence and promised Carolyn they would catch the perp soon.

Carolyn felt immensely satisfied when Herman had shown her the veil the woman wore had drops of blood staining the white fabric. Her vase had scored a direct hit on the intruder. The bloodstains also proved her trespa.s.ser to be human and not a second ghost.

That's all I would need, a jealous Caroline.

To take her mind off the previous night's events, Carolyn threw herself into her house cleaning. She scrubbed, polished, and dusted until her arms felt as if they would fall off. At midnight, she dragged her weary body to bed without even bothering to take her dirty clothes off or pull the blanket back.

Caleb came to her immediately. He lay next to her on the bed and kissed her forehead. "Carolyn, my love. You are distressed?"

"Not anymore, my dearest Caleb." She gazed into his ice blue eyes and again, was touched by the heart wrenching sadness she saw in them. "Will you stay with me?"

He answered her with a kiss that sent her pulse skyrocketing as their tongues sought each other. His strong hand glided down her side and under her s.h.i.+rt, making her happy she wasn't wearing a bra. Carolyn fought an urge to giggle when she thought of this nineteenth century man trying to undo one.

His firm hand slowly ran over her ribs ever so gently, eventually coming to her breast. His hand followed its curve, his palm brus.h.i.+ng lightly over her hard nub. The room temperature rose as his kisses trailed down her neck, his tongue licking the hollow at the base of her neck, sending shudders of delight deep inside her. She ran her nails down his back, marveling at his solid muscles.

Carolyn rolled over on top of Caleb and helped him raise her s.h.i.+rt over her head. While he undid her belt, she ripped his s.h.i.+rt open and ran her hands across his smooth chest. With her blue jeans unb.u.t.toned, she stood, allowing them to fall to her feet with a seductive wiggle of her hips.

Wanting to return the favor, she unb.u.t.toned Caleb's pants, but in order to take them off him, she needed to remove his boots first. Straddling his outstretched leg, she practically wet herself when she felt his other foot pus.h.i.+ng on her a.s.s, but was able to get both boots removed. Then, turning around, she tugged at his pant legs until she had them completely off. To her delight, he wasn't wear anything under his clothes as his c.o.c.k stood straight, hard, and erect, making her mouth water for its taste.

Carolyn crawled back onto the bed, her hands sliding up his legs to his sculpted abs. She lowered her head and swirled her tongue around the purpled head on his thick, hard c.o.c.k. Taking his length into her mouth, she bobbed her head up and down, licking and sucking as if tasting her first Popsicle of the summer. She cupped his b.a.l.l.s in one hand and squeezed lightly. Unbelievably, his moaning turned her on even more. Caleb wrapped his hands in her hair and thrust his hips to the rhythm she set.

Suddenly, he pulled out of her mouth, rolled her onto her back, and pulled her up alongside him. His hands played wildly with her nipples as his hot lips kissed down her breastbone, across her stomach, then continued along her inner thighs. Her juices began dripping from her slit, soaking her underpants.

One hand released a breast, and with fingers curled, Caleb slowly dragged them down her body until they hooked the top of her panties and pulled them down. Spreading her legs with his hands, Caleb leaned in close to her mound and breathed fire onto her damp s.e.x. The heat from his breath inflamed her need for him even further. A firm hand moved up and down her mound, rubbing with just the right amount of pressure, adding to her mounting o.r.g.a.s.m.

Sweat rolled off her brow when he parted her lips and found her engorged c.l.i.t. He took the fleshy bud between his lips, his tongue lightly ma.s.saging the sensitive area. Reaching underneath her hips, he raised her higher so he could bury his mouth deeper into her heated p.u.s.s.y.

Inserting two fingers inside her, Caleb continued to work his magical lips and tongue, driving her into a deeper frenzy. Carolyn's o.r.g.a.s.m exploded like fireworks at a rodeo on the Fourth of July. Her body bucked with each wave, sending his fingers further and further inside her. His fingers and mouth didn't stop until well after her o.r.g.a.s.m faded, starting a second one building.

Pulling his fingers out, he fingered her areolas, covering them with her juice then licking them clean. He covered her mouth with his, their tastes mingling on each other's lips. Carolyn couldn't wait any longer; she needed to feel him inside her, so she rolled him onto his back, straddled him, and lowered herself onto him, guiding his shaft into her.

Her v.a.g.i.n.al walls stretched wide to accommodate his thickness, the pain excruciating and exciting at the same time. None of her former lovers had been so big or thick, yet she took everything he had inside her, filling her in more ways than just physically. She had fallen completely in love with this man-ghost. Whatever he may be, she was determined to keep him for her very own.

f.u.c.k off, Aunt Caroline. You had your chance. He's mine now.

Her o.r.g.a.s.m built swiftly in her molten core while leaning over Caleb, her b.r.e.a.s.t.s dangling enticingly, inches from his mouth. He took a nipple into his mouth, alternately nipping and licking, his thumb lazily caressing the other. Rivulets of sweat trickled down her chest as she rapidly rose and fell on his shaft, sinking him deeper and deeper into her.

Her muscles clenched his shaft, pumping him for everything he had. She felt his c.o.c.k erupt, spewing his hot seed inside her, causing her o.r.g.a.s.m to explode right on top of his, shaking her with the intensity of a six point five on the Richter scale.

Caleb rolled her over onto her back and pumped harder. His o.r.g.a.s.m lasting just as long as hers. Wave after wave of breath robbing euphoria hit her until Caleb finally collapsed next to her. When she was able to draw a breath again, Carolyn kissed Caleb tenderly then rested her head on his muscled chest.

Bright sunlight streamed through the bedroom window to wake her, revealing that Caleb left her side sometime during the night. She hadn't expected him to still be there, yet felt empty inside that he wasn't lying next to her.

"This has got to stop. I have to break the curse Caroline placed on him," she vowed.

Chapter Four.

The small, bra.s.s bell above Herbs and More's door tinkled as Carolyn entered. Familiar scents of basil, sage, thyme and a dozen others greeted her like old friends. Inhaling the fragrant aromas of the fresh herbs did more than put a smile on her face; they helped settle her troubled mind.

Maggie popped up from behind the counter. "Hey, stranger. Welcome back to the salt mines."

"Thanks Mags, good to be back. I am sorry for being away for so long, but the house needs a lot more work than I originally thought. I think I should hire a handyman." Setting her purse on the counter, Carolyn saw a Band-Aid on Maggie's forehead. "What did you do to yourself, or did you take up kick boxing?"

Waving her hand dismissively, Maggie said, "Oh, you know, old klutzy me. I banged my head on a shelf the other day. So, you ready to get back to work?"

"Just tell me where I should start?" Carolyn said with a smile.

"There's a grindstone in the backroom with your name on it."

"Oh, an order came in?"

"Yep, a big one. Bags and bags of fertilizer."

Taking off her jacket and rolling up her sleeves, Carolyn said, "Then I better get started."

Going into the back, Carolyn saw three large pallets sitting next to the garage door. Cutting the straps, she carried the individual bags to a shelf.

Odd that Maggie has a cut on her head right about the same place I hit the burglar, and she is about the same size as the woman who broke into my house. Don't be ridiculous. Why would Maggie break in and try to scare me? Then again, she did tell me I should move out the day she helped me clean. Practically saying if I didn't, something bad would happen to me. Maybe she had come inside and put the coffee pot on while I slept and went back out. She was also very curious about my inheritance. In addition, it was her house-warming gift that died so quickly.

Throughout the day, her doubts about Maggie continued to fester in her mind, and whenever Carolyn would glance in her direction, Maggie would be looking back, smiling.

What do I really know about her? I only met Maggie a little over eight months ago on a crowded bus going to work. Now, who started the conversation that day? Did I? Did Maggie? I can't remember now. Had that been a chance meeting after all or had she planned to accidentally run into me on the bus? I do recall Mags first mentioned plants and herbs, and how this town needed a store that sold fresh herbs, spices, and organically grown food. If she hadn't been so gung-ho with us starting an organic food store, I don't think I would have dared opened this place by myself.

Carolyn's suspicions grew by the minute. More than once, she was sorely tempted to confront Maggie and demand an explanation. She finally decided to wait and confide her suspicions to Chief Rose first. Leaving Maggie to handle the front while she worked in the back, potting herbs to sell as starter plants, allowed Carolyn the time she needed to calm herself enough to act nonchalant the few times she had to be around Maggie. The day's end hadn't come fast enough.

Carolyn stopped at the police station on her way home to talk to Chief Rose, only to find that he left an hour ago on a call. She left a message with Sally requesting him to call when he had the chance, and as she started to leave, ran into Herman coming into the station. Carolyn ran her suspicions about Maggie by him, which he in turn promised to pa.s.s on to the Chief.

Chester greeted Carolyn at the door when she arrived home, doing his best to trip her by rubbing himself between her legs in a figure eight pattern as she walked into the kitchen, yowling pathetically, as if not fed in months. Knowing full well she fed him that morning before she left, and he was only vying for attention, Carolyn refilled his dish anyway and as an extra bonus, poured milk into a saucer for him.

No sooner had she put away the groceries she brought home from work, someone knocked on her door. Sarah had come over with a plate piled high with fresh baked chocolate chip cookies and her Book of Shadows.

"Sarah! You're going to make me fat, bringing me all these pies and cookies."

"Don't worry your pretty head, sweetie. I use a special recipe. You won't gain an ounce. Trust me."

"Well, since you're thin as a rail, I suppose I can eat a couple."

Over coffee and cookies, Carolyn updated Sarah on yesterday's events. When she finished describing the conversation she had with Caleb by the fountain, Sarah said. "You didn't mention you spoke with Caleb when I came over yesterday. Or did you? I've been getting so forgetful lately. Oh well, no harm done. Now, until then, you say Caleb only came to you after midnight?"

"I didn't think it important to mention at the time. His other visits?" Carolyn shrugged her shoulders. "I wasn't exactly looking at a watch, but yeah, I guess he did come after midnight those other times. Why?"

"We're getting close to All Hallows Eve, the one time a year when the veil between our world and the spirit world is the thinnest. Even the thin veil alone wouldn't account for his being able to change his visitation pattern. I've noticed your aura has grown a lot stronger and brighter since you've moved in. Am I right in a.s.suming that you and Caleb formed a strong bond with each other? In combination, those two reasons would explain why he has been able to change his habit from appearing to you only at night and his coming to you in the day. A bond like yours will help us break the curse Caroline put on him."

"I have an aura, and you think mine will help us? How?"

"The aura won't help us, my dear, your bond with Caleb will. You, young lady, are in love. Love is the most potent magic there is."

Carolyn didn't need Sarah to tell her she was in love. She knew she loved Caleb, although the words felt fantastic to her ears when said aloud. Carolyn picked up her story and told Sarah about her other late night visitor and what the police discovered so far. She also told Sarah about Maggie, the cut on her forehead, and the other odd coincidences with her.

Sarah rubbed the bridge of her nose while mulling over Carolyn's story. "I suppose this friend of yours may have been the intruder, but what would be her motive?"

"That's just it, as far as I know, she doesn't have one. Unless she's jealous of my inheritance? But I don't think so."

"Hard to say. Money is a powerful motive. I say we leave the sleuthing to Eric Rose to discover your intruder's ident.i.ty. He's very good."

"I hope he figures out the who soon. You can't imagine how hard it was working with Maggie today, thinking she was the intruder." Carolyn took another cookie from the plate and asked, "So, how are we going to help Caleb? Tarot cards? A crystal ball?"

Sarah shook her head. "No, my dear. We need to prove his innocence, and the best way is to force, if need be, the maid to tell us how she managed to get into the locked library. We need her to confess her crime."

"How can we do that? She's been dead about as long as Caleb."

"Exactly. We'll summon her in a seance and ask her."

"A seance? So we what...sit around in a circle with the lights off and call her on the psychic hotline?"

The pained look on Sarah's face made Carolyn instantly regret her flippant remark.

"I see you've quite a few preconceptions, which I'll need to eliminate before we can proceed with your training."

"I'm sorry, Sarah. I do have a lot to learn. Please, tell me how a seance works."

"To begin with, I'll act as the medium. I've done quite a few seances with Ester over the years, I can guide you through the session. I'll need at least two other people to complete the circle. You'll be one, and if necessary, I can get one of the other members from Ester's coven. And, yes, the lights should be off as bright light inhibits the spirits, we'll use candles. They provide a warm, inviting atmosphere."

"Oh, I've found plenty of candles, they're everywhere in the house."

"Good. Once we are ready, we will hold hands to complete the circle and draw energy from each other. There is a chant we can say to aid in clearing our minds for the task ahead, if needed. Then I will try to connect to the spirit world to summon the maid. Do you know her name?"

"Yes. Her name is Ellie." Carolyn said, happy to contribute something to the effort.

"Ellie who?"