She’s my daughter Barbara,” Houg said turning to Ernest. “And he is Mr. Ernest Devon and he’s here to help us,” Houg said again turning to his daughter this time.
“ Are you a Ghostbusters, Sir?” Houg's daughter asked ironically.
“ No, I’m not, miss,” Ernest replied.
“ So, are you a medium, an exorcist, something like that?”
“ Neither am I,” Ernest answered calmly.
“ Then, I don’t see how you could help us,” Barbara said, but Houg intervened:“Please, Barbara, it’s not nice to answer this way to our guest; he’s a private investigator and he’s also very smart. He wants to ask you some questions to better understand the situation and I’d be glad if you answer.”
Not a word did Barbara speak, then she noticed Roni and she got closer to greet him; then, she turned to Ernest and said: “Well, Mr. Devon, you can start questioning me, I’m ready.”
“ First of all I’m not going to question you, Miss. Like your father said earlier, I just want to ask you some questions to understand what you saw.”
“ Well. I saw my mother's ghost and I assure you I'm not crazy.”
“ Where were you when you saw it?”
“ I was in my brother’s room. Rebecca had gone out and he couldn't sleep; I looked outside the window for a second and I saw something moving in the chapel. I turned off the light to see better and…”
Barbara stopped and turned her head to her father, who encouraged her to continue.
“ And then I saw my mother's ghost,” she continued. “Right after I turned the light back on and I called Mary Ann which quickly ran to me. I told her everything and she looked outside the window, but she didn't see anything.”
“ But are you sure that it was a ghost?” Ernest asked.
“ Well, yes… yes… I’m sure, at least I think so.”
“ What makes you think that it was a ghost and not a flesh-and-blood person?”
“ Because a flesh-and-blood person must be crazy to do what I saw and then because I observed the face and it was really my mother's and, since she died more than a year ago, it had to be a ghost. I can’t find any other explanation. But actually, a doubt remains…”
Which doubt?” Ernest inquired.
“ If I saw my mother, or at least her ghost, why am I so much frightened? After all, she’s my mother; but in that moment I almost fainted.”
“ Now, please, try to remember the entire scene.”
“ I turned off the light, and then I looked outside the window. At first I didn't notice anything strange, but then I saw a woman and I could swear that she was my mother. She had a long white dress that touched the floor and she had a red rose in her hands. Maybe she felt my gaze on her, because she looked at me and she smiled at me, almost as if she wanted to mock me. Then she started some kind of dance. She was slowly moving her arms and head; they were really weird movements and for all the time her gaze didn't leave the window. I didn't have the courage to look anymore and I called Mary Ann.”
“ But Mary Ann didn't see anything, right?” Ernest asked.
“ Exactly, she didn't see anything.” Barbara answered.
“ Was this silhouette inside or outside the chapel?”
“ I saw her on the stairs, and then I don't know, I can't remember very well.”
“ Did your brother see anything?”
“ No… I don't think so. He just got worried because he saw I was nervous.”
“ Where is he, now?”
“ He’s sleeping. Luckily Rebecca came back early and my brother falls asleep fast with her.”
“ I’m done, for the moment, Miss. Should I have some questions to ask you, I hope you’ll be available.”
“ Of course...” Barbara said turning to her dad to have the permission to go. After receiving it, she greeted Roni and Ernest and left the room.
“ What do you think?” Houg asked Ernest right after his daughter’s exit.
“ I still don’t know what to think. It is sure that it’s not a simple matter,” the investigator answered.
“ I know that well, otherwise I wouldn't have asked for your help…” Houg said standing up and proceeding: “At least now we know that my son didn't make up anything.”
“ Why did you think your son could have made up everything?” Ernest asked surprised.
“ Because he's a kid and you know how kids are: too often they fly with the fantasy. Just a simple light reflection and they see dragons, monsters or ghosts,” Houg replied.
“ Anyway, I need to talk to your son as well. In the meantime, if you agree, I’d like to see the chapel,” Ernest said.
“ I’ll accompany you.” Houg said and pressed again the button on the desk.
After a while the housekeeper entered the study.
“ Did you call, Mr. Houg?” she asked.
“ Yes, Mary Ann, we need a flashlight,” he said.
The housekeeper got out and the others followed her.
Arrived downstairs, Mary Ann brought the flashlight.
They went out in the garden. Houg led the way, Roni and Ernest followed him. Once outside, Houg pointed at the chapel with the flashlight. Ernest immediately noticed the stairs and tried to imagine the exact point where the ghost could have appeared. When he got in front of the chapel he turned to the house and asked Houg: “Where's your son’s bedroom?”
“ Second floor, the third room from the right,” Houg answered.
Ernest localized the room, and then he took the flashlight and headed towards the stairs of the chapel like he was looking for something.
“ Nothing at all,” he said after a while.
“ What were you hoping to find?” Roni asked.
“ Something, anything.” Ernest replied mysteriously, and then he climbed the stairs and entered the chapel.
Houg and Roni followed him without saying a word. Ernest turned the light several times trying to lighten up the various parts of the chapel, but it seemed as he didn't find anything. Then, suddenly, the flashlight lit up a door.
“ And this?” Ernest asked.
“ It's the access door to the family cemetery,” Houg answered.
“ Can I go in?” Ernest asked.
Before
