Unsettled Graves: A Crossroads of Kings Mill Novel (The Crossroads of Kings Mill Book 3) (6 page)

Sitting silently and more than a little puzzled…oh hell who was he kidding, he was freaked out. Shock had taken a mental hold of him and shook him until his brain had rattled to a blank slate. He wasn’t even sure what Vickie and Tonya were discussing as the man, about his age in basic clothing from the mid-1800s, examined every item in the main room of the penthouse.

Unable to move, Camden watched as Jared kept opening and closing the French door styled refrigerator, trying to figure out if the light stayed on when he closed the doors. A curious push of the lever in the door and ice cubes tumbled out at his feet. Neither one of the ladies moved to stop his exploration, as they were lost in a series of verbally heated whispers and questions.

Finally when the ragged soldier tried to turn on the stove, watching the magic coils in the glass top heat up and burning his finger in the process, only then did Camden feel a need to keep the odd man from any real danger.

“That’s hot, dumb ass. It’s a stove…you know, it cooks food.”

“Where does the wood go?”

“It runs on electricity. Um…a powerful current of energy created around the turn of the twentieth century. We use it to heat our homes, cook our food, and create light without candles.” Camden motioned to the classic Edison bulb fixtures Vickie had her house lit in. He went over to the light switch and turned it off and on.

“Where am I? How did I get here?” Jared asked, playing with the magic light switch.

“That is what we would like to know.” Vickie stepped forward and leaned over the breakfast bar separating the open kitchen from the rest of the main floor. “Can you tell us anything about what happened before you arrived in this time?”

“Time?” He shook his head. “I don’t understand.”

“What year is this?” Vickie asked.

“1863, July 2,” Jared answered without a doubt.

Vickie smiled and patted his filthy hand. “I’m afraid not, Jared. This is 2015. You’ve somehow managed to travel forward in time one hundred and fifty-two years.”

“How so?” He scrutinized Tonya. “You must be a witch then!”

“She’s not a witch.” Camden sighed, actually shocking himself for defending Tonya. The troubled, crestfallen look on her face when Jared had reacted made him want to protect her. This wild-looking man might do anything to her if he wanted.

“Then explain yourself.” He focused on Tonya. “Explain how you appeared out of nothing, sitting in front of me on that battlefield as I scouted out those damn Yanks for General Kershaw.”

“I…I…don’t know—”

“We are trying to figure that out,” Vickie added calmly. “But for now, no harm was done, so let’s sit down and see what we can do to help you.”

“Is he real? I mean, is he really…real?” Camden finally got up the nerve to ask.

“He’s as solid as you and I are.” Vickie shrugged scrutinizing Jared’s form. “I think we should contact April.”

Tonya dialed Dr. Miles on her cell phone.

“Oh yeah! That’s it. Explain to the historical director that we have an actual guy from the Civil War. She’s gonna laugh us right out of our internship.” Camden let out a crazed laugh as he paced. Tonya rolled her eyes and with one finger in her ear went to talk to April on the phone down the hall. “This is unbelievable. No one is going to believe this, least of all Dr. Miles.”

“My grand-niece is pretty open-minded when it comes to history, Camden. She’s the least of our worries at this point.”

Tonya came back into the room. “April is on her way. She’s stopping to pick up Virginia and Dottie, too.”

Up until now, Camden hadn’t noticed the awkwardness Tonya possessed in her stance. Vickie had badgered her for the past hour and a half for answers to questions she hadn’t been able to reply to. The usual energy she possessed seemed to have faded from her with Jared’s arrival.

For the first time since meeting her, she appeared uncertain and wary, standing in the background like an unattractive girl at a homecoming dance. He should be jumping for joy. Her Miss Perfect-I’m-Smarter-Than-You shelf had been kicked out from under her feet, but he didn’t like it. All he wanted to do was wrap her in his arms and tell her everything was going to be okay.

Moments later, the room rang with various female voices all talking at once. April, her mother Virginia, her grandmother Dottie, and Miss Vickie, better known to Kings Mill society as the Wilton Women, were all conversing, asking each other questions and yelling to be understood. The cacophony of arguments and heated conversation didn’t make any sense and poor Tonya sat forlornly in the chair across the room.

A loud, two finger whistle split the din.

Everyone turned to see Jared coming forth, a man on a mission.

“Now, ladies, if you would all take a seat...” Shaking his head, he gave another low whistle. “I’m havin’ a mighty fine time tryin’ to grasp the idea of ladies with their limbs exposed, but seein’ a group of fine ladies catterwallin’ amongst each other gets a man’s blood to warmin’…if you’ll pard’n the expression.”

The various looks from the Wilton Women, from amusement to disgust, had Camden nearly laughing out loud. Their expressions matched what he could garner of their individual personalities.

“This is my fault,” Tonya said, jumping up from her position and taking a stance. “I hadn’t meant to cause this to happen.” She waved her hand, indicating Jared’s presence. “I’d been working for a while, hoping to have an actual paranormal experience at Gettysburg.”

Vickie stepped forward. “Dear heart, don’t you know Gettysburg is one of the most haunted areas around?”

“Yes, I know…but for all my past capabilities, I’d never been able to witness anything there.”

“Oh dear.” Dottie, the eldest between Vickie and her wrung her hands with worry. “Haven’t you told her the truth, Victoria?”

“We hadn’t gotten to that point in Tonya’s studies,” Vickie denied. “I was hoping we could work up to her true abilities.”

“Victoria Leigh! You of all people should know not to tempt fate,” her sister scolded.

“What are you two talking about?” April asked.

Neither elderly woman spoke for a moment as each glared accusatorily at the other.

“What is it? What have I done?” Tonya implored, biting her lip and trying not to look like she might be ready to cry.

The women turned to him. “I’m afraid to bring it up around Mr. Phillips as he might not understand.”

“You mean the whole ‘paranormal’ thing?” He laughed slightly. “If what I’ve seen lately is anything to believe… Hey, might as well bring it on. I’ll either wake up and realize I’ve been having weird dreams or learn that nothing is normal in Kings Mill, Maryland.”

April winked at him. “You have no idea just how right you are, Camden.”

He wasn’t quite sure about which statement, but he was about to find out.

#

Tonya knew that any time the Wilton Women showed up, things were going to get interesting. The last time, other than family functions, was when she was working on the excavation of the Old Town Tavern and Inn with Millie’s ghost. She’d ended up being part of a paranormal ritual helping the soul of Millie crossover into her exhumed remains, becoming a whole person again.

“What did you do out on the battlefield this afternoon, Tonya?” Vickie asked, settling down with her on the Victorian loveseat. The elderly woman held her hand, not wanting to discipline her but to understand.

“I wanted to connect with an unsettled spirit to see if I might get him to pass over into the light.” She bowed her head.

“And you did this by…meditation?”

“I’d been told a few months ago when I took a ghost tour that you could link with the spirits directly, especially on hallowed ground, by connecting physically with the earth that carried the residual energy in the blood soaked ground. I dug my fingers into the dirt at the Peach Orchard…”

“Did you say anything?”

“I heard the spirit speak. I thought he was mortally wounded. I told him to be at peace, to take my hand, and I would help him to crossover.”

A collective sigh echoed from the women around her…but it wasn’t a refreshing sound. It was one of angst. The look on Dottie’s face and the tapping of her foot as she glared at Vickie told her something wasn’t right.

“See, Victoria, you should’ve told her right from the beginning.”

“Dorothea, if you don’t shut your yap, I’m going to send you out. I didn’t tell her because I didn’t think she was ready to face her gift. She still had too much to learn and understand.”

“And you don’t think bringing Millie to life was enough to prepare her for the truth?”

“Mom. Aunt Vickie. Arguing over the situation is not going to help matters. Tonya needs to know the truth so we can move on to what needs to be done,” Virginia countered. “Just get on with it for all our sakes.”

“Fine,” they said in unison.

Tonya sat on the edge of her seat. What was it she needed to know?

“Tonya dear.” Vickie patted her hand, encouragingly. “I’m so sorry. I should’ve told you sooner to prepare you for the acceptance of your unique gift.” She looked up at Dottie and back to Tonya. “We realized during your ordeal with Millie that you carried a stronger energy than just being a random vessel for lost souls. I’ve been researching through my group the possibilities you possess an energy greater than being a simple medium…you are the energy force spirits need to survive.”

“What?” Looking around at everyone, she hoped someone might have an easier definition.

“I’m not sure if we understand it all quite right. All I know is you don’t have to perform any sort of ritual to connect to the spirit world. They are attracted to your energy on a natural level and can pull you to them without knowing they’re doing so. I’m afraid what you did today was a bit of overkill. Your effort to connect, well… Let’s just say the energy between Jared and you were parallel in strength, causing him to cross over, not into the light but into
your
light, by taking your hand.”

Tonya tried to make a connection to what Vickie was saying. “Is that what happened with April and James when they met?”

“Possibly. With April’s gift of psychometry, there is a similar energy field…though your aura and hers are a bit different in patterns. That could be why. There is still so much we don’t know about the metaphysical world and its energies surrounding us.”

“Is she safe working with him in this world?” April asked. “Would her energy patterns create further havoc?”

“I don’t think so. But I’m not going to say yes or no. What I’m curious about is what is happening in his world at this moment,” Vickie added.

“What’s happening?” Camden spoke up. “If he was scouting for General Kershaw, they are in the middle of one of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War at this time.”

“Approximately what time were you there at the site?” Virginia asked.

“I don’t know, about three-thirty or so, I guess.”

“Wait, I can tell you. I had just sent a text to my mom…” Camden looked at his phone. “I sent her the message at three-thirty-four and came to look for you right after.”

“So, three-thirty-five?” Vickie looked to Jared. “Do you know what time it was in your world?”

“The commander gave me the order to go scout about three-twenty, so by the time I walked to the spot from across the trail where we were mustered…that might be the same time.”

“And according to reports, the Confederate troops took to the Peach Orchard about four o’clock the second day,” April added for historical reference.

Jared nodded to her. “General Longstreet gave orders for General Kershaw to lead us up around the south flank of the Yanks to close them up towards town.”

“We might have a time portal crossover.” Vickie exhaled sharply, looking to the other women for possible answers.

“I suggest we find out all the history we can on Mr. Evansworth and where he ended up after the Battle of Gettysburg,” April suggested. “It might help us to figure out what we can do to get him back where he needs to be.”

“Are you saying we are going to send him back in time? Is that even possible?” Camden asked incredulously.

“Of course, Mr. Phillips.” Vickie smiled, delighted that he’d caught on. “Anything is possible in Kings Mill with us Wilton Women!”

“I’m sorry I got you into this,” Tonya said as she drove Camden back to his apartment.

With his stomach gurgling, Camden realized neither one of them had eaten since their lunch at the Springhouse Tavern. At nearly nine o’clock, he wasn’t sure if anything around his place would be open. The day had been exhausting. He was glad Vickie had insisted Jared settled in at her place until they could figure out what to do with him in the meantime.

“This situation is not your fault. It happens.” Camden shrugged.

Wow. Not quite as simple as that. How many people brought someone back from the past? Kind of a big thing. He wasn’t sure exactly how he should react.

She snorted. “Really? No,
it
doesn’t happen, at least not to most people.”

“So this happens frequently to you? Must be interesting,” he said as she pulled into the development complex. “Hungry for some Chinese?”

“I’m not sure if I’m hungry for anything.”

“Stop feeling sorry for yourself and eat. Besides, if you eat Chinese, you’ll be hungry again in two hours. Head on over to Chu Yu’s.”

The small, sit-down bistro was a bit fancy for take-out. The black lacquered tables, little pagoda style lanterns, and soft, Oriental music drifting in the background added an air of sophistication and elegance much too proper for their bedraggled appearance. But Camden didn’t care. He was hungry and this was the best place he could think of at the moment.

Ushered to a quiet corner booth, there really weren’t that many customers at this time of night. Other than a couple on the far side of the restaurant separated by a Chinese folding screen and bamboo plants, it might as well have been just them.

Camden ordered hot tea for the two of them and water while they looked over the menu. “You want to split an order of Kung Pao Chicken? I’ve had their dinner orders and they are quite large.”

Tonya shrugged. “Sure. Like I said, I’m not really that hungry.”

              They ordered and Tonya sat morosely, playing with her fork.

              “Hey, I think I’m taking this better than you are. And I’m the non-believer.” He tried to laugh and lighten the mood.

              “Don’t you understand? What I have done could alter history. If he’s here now, what happens in the past? What will happen to the present and future with him in it?”

              “You’re talking Star Trek—the whole alternate universe, time shift, thing?”

              “Supposedly it’s real. I’ve made a real mess.”

              The food came and Tonya picked at her meal as he devoured his. There was no talking to her about the situation. All they could do is wait for the Wilton Women to decide what needed to be done next. They hadn’t specified directly. Vickie had shooed them on their way and basically said not to worry, they’d be in touch as soon as they had some answers. But where did someone find answers to questions of unfathomable physics? Were they going to talk to Stephan Hawking on String Theory and Time Displacement?

              Looking up from his final bite of Kung Pao, the red-headed kid stood just beyond Tonya’s left shoulder.

              “Don’t look now,” he whispered conspiratorially, “but I think someone is hungry. Should we ask him to join us? Maybe he’s hungry enough to finish your meal.”

              Confused, Tonya slowly turned around to see what he was talking about.

              “Come here, kid. It’s okay. I’m not going to bite you,” Camden said.

              Tonya didn’t say anything, she didn’t seem to be able. Her body went rigid with something akin to fear. The boy walked up to her and held out his hand. Closing her eyes, she shook her head, tears streaming down her face. Before Camden could do anything, she threw down her linen napkin and ran out of the restaurant.

              Trailing behind her, Camden raced after her as the manager called to him in angry Chinese. He paused at the door. It was no use. Tonya had driven off in a hurry, nearly running into a lady pulling into the plaza.

              With the boy nowhere in sight, Camden returned to his seat. He sighed. His waiter came right away with the check, so he didn’t try to get up and leave again without paying.

              “Can you box the leftovers up and give them to the young boy who was just here, please?”

              “What young boy?”

              “The little red-head, ragamuffin that was just here. He looks like he could use a meal.”

              Leaving enough cash to cover the meals and extra for the tip, Camden left, making his way across the complex to his apartment unit. He trudged up the three flights of stairs wearily wanting nothing more than a hot shower and perhaps play a video game on his laptop before heading to bed. He remembered he was working for Kenneth Miles at the Old Mill, he decided he needed to get up early.

              Sighing, his steps became heavier.

              At the first landing ahead of him stood that damn kid. What the hell did the kid want with him? Why had he scared off Tonya?

              “Look, kid, I’m not in the mood for your games. I’m kinda pissed and tired right now anyway. Go home.”

              The kid only glared at him. That did it. He’d had enough. Racing at the kid, the brat took off like a shot. He managed to catch a glimpse of the kid as he rounded the top landing. Ah-ha! He had him now. There was nowhere else for the kid to go. His landing was at the top and it was just his apartment.

              “I’ve got you now you little sonofa—”

              Nothing. The kid wasn’t at the top of the stairs. The small landing to his front door was empty. Taking a glance over the wooden railing there was no way the kid could have jumped three stories. He would have killed himself at this height. Trying his door, it was locked. Just like he left it this morning and every morning. Where the hell had the kid gone? It was like he just disappeared…ah, no…he was not even going there…Tonya had seen him so…
goddamnit
! This wasn’t happening to him. He was not going to start believing in ghosts!

#

              His doorbell rang at seven o’clock in the morning. Camden had set his alarm for eight-thirty. Kenneth wasn’t picking him up until ten. Who the hell was waking him up at this ungodly hour? The doorbell rang again and again in consecutive, impatient rings. “Keep your pants on! I’m coming.”             

              He opened the door without even looking. Heck, he wasn’t even awake yet, much less gave a rat’s ass who was at his door. Tonya stood there in the same clothes she’d worn yesterday. Her hair was mussed and the dark shadows under her eyes stated she hadn’t been to sleep.

              “Can I come in?” she asked weakly.

              He didn’t know what to say. She’d ran off leaving him at the restaurant last night without a word or explanation.

              “Sure.” He opened the door for her to enter and realized he was wearing only a pair of boxers. When she noticed, her cheeks turned pink, the only color in her face besides the yellow-grey hollows under her eyes. “Uh, let me go put some clothes on. Make yourself at home.”

              When he came back out wearing jeans and t-shirt, she was staring out through the opened slats of his glass patio door at the early morning.

              “What’s got you here so early on a Saturday morning?”

              “Vickie has a job for us. We’re taking Jared to get some clothes and groomed before we sequester ourselves in the archives database at the historical society.”

              “Can’t. Working with Kenneth today.” Camden felt like gloating because he didn’t want to really be around Tonya and all the paranormal bullshit today. He’d had enough of it yesterday to last him a lifetime. At least with Kenneth Miles, he’d be around normal people.

              “April talked with him last night, told him she needed you for a special project. He hasn’t called you yet?”

              Camden walked to his cell phone charging on the kitchen counter. There were three messages. Two from Tonya and one from…Kenneth Miles saying he would catch up with him later. Ah, hell.

              “Why do you need me? He’s your ghost.”

              “He’s from the 1800s. The things he needs are guy things—you know, haircut, shave, clothes…
guy stuff
. Jared wouldn’t take kindly to a woman taking care of him like that. It just wasn’t done back then.”

              Sighing, Camden raked a hand through his hair. “Fine. Let me get some shoes on. And I’m making you stop for coffee…you owe me, sister.” He disappeared into his bedroom for his Reeboks, came back out, and sat on the arm of the couch to put his shoes on. “Speaking of which, what happened to you last night? You saw the kid…”

              “You do know he’s a ghost, right?” Tonya breathed out spontaneously.

              He paused in putting on his right shoe, “Yeah…I kind of figured that after he ran from me and disappeared. He likes to do that.”

              “You’ve seen him before?”

              “Ever since my first day working at Kings Mill Historical Society. I think you all have jinxed me.”

              Tonya’s shoulders slumped as she sat heavily in the corner chair. “I was afraid of that.” Her voice lowered along with her head, leaving her hair to hang around her face. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I can’t even explain what’s happening.” She blurted out along with a volley of tears and frustration. “That’s why I didn’t take the kid’s hand last night when he reached out to me. After what happened with Jared, I didn’t want to make the same mistake.”

              The sobs racked her frame. Feeling awkward Camden didn’t know what to do. Instinctively he walked over to her and knelt in front of her, lifting her chin up with his finger and tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

              “Hey…okay, don’t cry. I’m sure there’s some explanation for all this.”

              Tonya slid out of the chair and into his arms, curling up into him like his cat Sheba back home. But she continued to cry, sniffling and trying to talk in between her sobs. Placing his arms around her back, he held her and let her cry. He didn’t know anything about what she was going through…he’d only learned that ghosts were real, but she was dealing with some major shit.

              Camden had no answers but as she her sobs subsided into hiccups and occasional sniffles he sensed a moment of odd contentment in holding her. Emotional women weren’t his thing. But so far, he hadn’t done badly for an early morning without any coffee.

#

              Tonya paid for coffee and bagel sandwiches before they headed off to Vickie’s place. They picked up a couple more cups of plain black coffee just in case anyone else needed some. Camden wasn’t sure who all would be at Vickie’s. If it was anything like last night, they might have to make another coffee run.

              There were just the four of them and Jared appeared to be more confused than he had last night.

              “Coffee?” Camden held out the paper cup with the cardboard protector full of coffee.

              The ancient man studied the odd container and took it but couldn’t quite figure out the plastic lid.

              “Here, let me get you a mug,” Tonya offered.

              Why hadn’t he thought of that? Of course Jared would be more comfortable drinking out of a proper cup.

              “Cream or sugar?” she asked, pouring the steaming, black brew into a good sized mug instead of one of Vickie’s tea cups.

              “Now I ain’t one for all them fancy fixin’s, miss. Never could afford such.”

              Tonya smiled. Camden realized he liked her smile. It was much better than the frazzled, distraught complexion she’d had earlier. Her hair was still a mess and her face was plain, washed clean of make-up, either from crying or just the hours of wearing it off.

              “Well, you are welcome to both. It’s not a luxury any more. It’s quite common to have.” She offered him the mug of black coffee but gestured to the condiments on the counter.

              If Jared thought cream and sugar were fancy fixings, Camden probably shouldn’t mention Starbucks various combinations of ‘coffee’. It would blow the poor guy’s mind.

              “I just got off an Internet group discussion with my friends,” Vickie blustered into the room from down the hall. “They’re at a loss, again. It seems like I have all the luck when it comes to odd paranormal activity.”

              Tonya slumped into her crestfallen state. Oh God, Camden hoped she wasn’t going to start crying again.

              “I’m sorry, Vickie. I don’t know what to do.”

              “Well for one, I was teasing.” She laughed. “And two, losing sleep and fretting about something out of your control is not going to solve anything. I need you energized. If your aura and energy levels start fading, we are going to have more trouble than this.”

              “What do we need to do?” Camden asked, swallowing a sip of hot coffee.

              “First, you need to take Mr. Evansworth to the barber. A shave and a trim of his matted hair is going to help.”