Ghosts of Government House Read online

  Sam shivered. “You’re right. There might be more…”

  After their pizza arrived, Sam asked, “I wonder if anyone has ever tried to talk to Howie.”

  “I bet not,” said J.J. “Especially if he only speaks Chinese.”

  “Maybe we could try in English first,” Sam said. She took a bite of ham and pineapple pizza. “Do you think we’ll even be able to find him again?”

  “Probably,” said J.J.

  “I just hope we don’t have to wait until dark.” Sam shivered, remembering the eerie sound of Howie’s approaching footsteps.

  “Yeah, that old mansion is pretty spooky with the lights out,” J.J. agreed.

  Goosebumps crept over Sam’s arms. “Hey, how about we have a sleepover at my house tonight?” she suggested.

  “Sure. My dad should be okay with that.”

  ___

  That evening Sam lay in bed chatting with J.J., reviewing the day. J.J. sat up suddenly. “Hey, we never looked at that picture you took of Sheldon. Grab my camera.”

  Sam reached over and dug the digital camera out of J.J.’s backpack. She advanced the photos until she came to the one she’d taken of Sheldon in Government House.

  “Yikes,” Sam gasped. She leaned in for a closer look.

  The outer edges of the photograph showed the morning room as it had looked when they’d visited. But in the middle was a starburst flare of white with a washed out image of Sheldon in a stark hospital room with subdued white and beige walls and a plainly-draped window. Sheldon was sitting in his wheelchair at a small table between two beds, with a teacup in front of him. A Great Dane lay at his feet.

  “Proof of two ghosts!” J.J. whispered, grabbing the camera from Sam.

  “Even Gabe can’t deny this,” said Sam.

  She took the camera back. It seemed to burn in her hands. As quickly as she could, she shut it off and plopped it onto the nightstand. “This ghost detecting is kind of creepy,” she said.

  “Yeah, but it’s fun too,” said J.J. “Especially seeing Jocko.”

  Sam giggled. A few minutes later she felt safe enough to turn off the lights. She closed her eyes. Beside her, J.J. mumbled a few more words, then fell silent. Sam drifted towards sleep.

  All of a sudden she stiffened. Her eyes jolted open.

  She nudged J.J. “Wh-wha…what’s that?”

  Near the door was the faint outline of a boy. As they stared, a transparent image of Ben slowly materialized.

  “What are you doing here?” Sam gasped.

  “I don’t know,” the ghostly image said. “I was just thinking about visiting you and here I am.”

  “Uh, you’re kind of scaring us,” said Sam. She pulled the covers tighter around her shoulders. “Maybe you should go back.”

  “Wait,” said J.J. “Ben, could you help us?”

  “How?” Ben’s voice wavered. His image grew fainter.

  “We’re trying to find Howie. He’s another ghost who lives in Government House.”

  “Now you’re scaring me,” said Ben, fading. “I’m not a ghost! And I can’t help you.”

  “Well, we certainly aren’t ghosts,” said Sam.

  Ben vanished.

  J.J. buried her head in Sam’s shoulder. “Oh no, now ghosts are coming to visit us!” she said in a muffled voice.

  Sam’s heart hammered in her chest. With a trembling hand she patted J.J. on the back. “Tomorrow we have to prove to Ben that he’s the ghost and that it’s okay. And we have to prove to Gabe that ghosts are real.”

  “You will, you mean. I don’t think I want to do this anymore,” J.J. wailed. She curled into a ball and pulled the covers over her head.

  “I’m not sure I do either,” Sam said in a tiny voice. “But I don’t know if we can stop now.”

  She wiggled farther under the covers and squeezed her eyes shut tight.

  chapter six

  driving rain swept across the car windows and hammered onto the rooftop.

  “Ready to be proven wrong?” asked Sam, poking Gabe’s neck under the headrest of the front seat of Grandma Louise’s car. They were on their way to Government House. “I bet you’ll see the ghosts this very afternoon.”

  “As if,” Gabe replied. “And no more cheating with fake photos.”

  J.J. leaned forward in her seat beside Sam. “That was a real photograph.”

  “Somebody might believe you, but not me,” Gabe said smugly.

  “I feel sorry for you,” said Grandma Louise. She turned up the windshield wipers.

  “Me? Why?” asked Gabe. “Because you think those two can prove something?”

  “Not necessarily,” said Grandma Louise. “Although that photo was pretty amazing.” She laughed. “You’re up against a couple of tough cookies. They’re not going to rest until you’re convinced.”

  “We’ll see about that.” Gabe turned to Sam and J.J. and tossed his baseball cap at them. “Bring it on, girls.”

  Sam caught the cap and flung it back. She whispered to J.J., loud enough for Gabe to hear, “Wait until he gets a load of Sheldon.”

  Gabe ignored them. Chatting to Grandma Louise, he turned on the radio.

  When they reached Government House, Gabe was the first out of the car. He ran through the downpour and waited at the entrance. When Sam and J.J. caught up, Sam taunted her brother, “After today you’ll have to do everything we say for two weeks, don’t forget.”

  “As if,” Gabe said again.

  “Gabe…” Grandma Louise signalled for him to remove his hat. He squashed it into the back pocket of his jeans.

  The commissionaire from the day before was gone, and in his place was a shorter man with glasses, his white hair and beard neatly trimmed. Vincent, according to his name tag, seemed more serious—but when Sam asked if they could have a ‘ghost tour,’ his face lit up.

  “I’ve heard about you,” he said. “Go ahead whenever you’re ready. The visitor experience host is in the foyer at the entrance between the conservatory and ballroom if you have any questions.”

  “Is it Kathryn?” asked Sam.

  “No. Robin’s working today.”

  Sam and J.J. ambled towards the end of the hall, looking for Sheldon, while Gabe and Grandma Louise studied the roped-off landau.

  “Gosh, I hope we’re able see at least one of the ghosts today,” said J.J. when they were out of earshot.

  “We certainly have the right weather for it.” Sam looked out at the darkening sky. The huge hallway windows were being pounded by rain. From the distance came a low rumble of thunder. The lights dimmed, then brightened. Sam drew closer to J.J.

  Her friend shivered. “I wonder if ghosts come out more in this kind of weather?”

  “If they do, I bet it’s because it’s easier for them to scare us.” At the thought, something quivered in Sam’s stomach.

  “Maybe it just makes them seem scarier,” J.J. said in a practical voice.

  “Do you suppose thinking about them brings them out? Like yesterday?” Sam wiped her moist hands on her jeans.

  “I don’t know. But let’s think about them as hard as we can while it’s still light in here,” J.J. said.

  “Maybe we should call them. Howie, Jocko, Sheldon, Ben!” Sam whispered over and over again.

  “You two are weird.” Gabe’s loud voice interrupted her. “Gran’s coming. So maybe you want to stop with the mumbo-jumbo?”

  Robin, the tall blonde host, greeted them at the main entrance to the house. She swept aside to let them in.

  “My goodness,” Grandma Louise gasped as she stepped into the main hall.

  “What’s happened here?” Robin yelped.

  Sam bumped into Grandma Louise. Ahead of them, a lace tablecloth had been flung in the middle of the floor. In front of the columns near the arched ceremonial entrance,
a carved jardinière—a waist-high wooden plant stand—lay on its side on the floor, the large ivy plant and dirt it had contained strewn all around.

  “Whoa,” Gabe muttered.

  J.J. turned to him. “See? We told you—”

  “Don’t go anywhere,” Robin said. “And don’t touch anything.” She rushed from the room.

  “How’d vandals get in here?” asked Gabe.

  Sam confronted her brother. “Not vandals.”

  “You’re not telling me it was ghosts,” said Gabe. Sam saw him glance at them, then at Grandma Louise, who raised her eyebrows.

  “Jocko,” Sam whispered. She crept over to the bottom of the stairs.

  “Good idea.” J.J. looked up at the chandeliers.

  Jocko didn’t appear.

  Sam and J.J. tried calling each of the ghosts by name again. Sam even tried saying Cheun Lee instead of Howie. But everything remained quiet apart from Grandma Louise and Gabe whispering to one another.

  A few moments later, Robin arrived with the commissionaire. “I was in here less than five minutes ago,” she was explaining to Vincent. “Everything was fine. Now look…” She gestured towards the mess.

  “Howie again.” Vincent shook his head.

  “You’re not serious?” said Robin.

  “I’m afraid so,” said Vincent. “Is this your first time seeing something like this?”

  Robin nodded. “I heard the place was haunted but I didn’t believe it. I’m not sure I do now.”

  Gabe shot Sam a significant glance. “I’m with you,” he said.

  “You’ll get used to it when you’ve been here a little longer,” Vincent said with a wry smile.

  Sam moved closer to watch him investigate the upset plant.

  “There definitely wasn’t a break-in and no one’s in the offices today.” The commissionaire seemed to be enjoying the incident. “We’re the only ones here.”

  He struggled to lift up the heavy plant stand. Sam and Robin rushed to help.

  “I’ll get maintenance to come and clean it up,” he said.

  Sam pointed at the carved figure on the funnel-shaped stem of the stand. “Look, the wood is cracked.”

  “Not too badly. All it needs is a little glue,” said Vincent.

  Robin picked up the tablecloth and headed over to the table by the stairs to replace it beneath a large wooden display case. The table had a glass top and held the official ceremonial sword of the last lieutenant governor who’d lived here.

  When she couldn’t budge the case, Robin gasped, “How could a ghost have moved this and taken the tablecloth off?”

  Vincent shrugged. “The maintenance guys will take care of it,” he said. “The tablecloth used to be on that round table by the door, so why don’t we put it back there for now. In fact, we should probably just leave it there so we don’t have to keep lifting up the case.”

  “You mean this has happened before?” asked Sam.

  “There’ve been a number of mornings when I come in here and find a scene like this. It hasn’t happened for a while, but something must have upset him,” said Vincent with a chuckle.

  Grandma Louise helped Robin spread the lacy tablecloth while Gabe peered about. Sam headed towards the other end of the ballroom with J.J., keeping an eye out for ghosts. Which one had made the mess?

  Eventually Gabe joined them. “I don’t care what you say. None of this proves there’s a ghost here. Just because a couple of people say so doesn’t mean it’s true. Probably just someone playing pranks.”

  Sam shrugged. “Whatever.”

  “We’ve only begun,” said J.J. with a ghoulish smile. As if on cue, there was a crack of thunder.

  Sam had the satisfaction of seeing her brother jump at the loud boom.

  Robin looked flustered but straightened her hat and costume. “I’ve never seen this happen in here before.” She looked over her shoulder anxiously.

  “How long have you worked here?” asked Grandma Louise.

  “This is only my fifth day,” Robin admitted.

  “Do you mind if we look around?” asked Sam.

  “Go right ahead,” Robin said. “If you have any questions, just call me. On second thought, maybe I’ll stay with you.”

  “What’s in here?” asked Gabe, looking through a doorway.

  “The billiards room,” said Sam, before Robin had a chance to speak.

  “Cool!” Gabe went further in. “There’s a bear rug in here,” he called. “Nice pool table too.”

  Sam followed Gabe inside. The cues lay in a V-shape, with three balls lined up in front of the tip on the table, ready for play.

  Grandma Louise had come in as well. “The men would come in here after dinner for their port and cigars,” she explained. “And, of course, to play billiards.”

  Gabe ran his hand across the surface of the table. “Where are the pockets?” he asked. “It’s not like the pool table you and Granddad used to have in your basement.”

  “This is a Carom billiard table–no pockets,” Robin said.

  Sam was growing restless. “Let’s go upstairs,” she suggested.

  “Sure, that’s the most interesting place in the house,” agreed J.J.

  Gabe and Grandma Louise trooped along behind. Sam showed Gabe where they’d been a couple of nights earlier when they first heard Howie.

  “And he went right through that closed door,” said Sam, pointing.

  “Yeah, right,” said Gabe.

  “Honest,” said J.J.

  Gabe ran his hand through his hair. “Look, guys, it isn’t that I don’t believe something happened. But you two have good imaginations. I think you just scared yourselves.”

  Sam froze as something moved behind Gabe. “Turn around and say that again,” she said, pointing.

  Sheldon had returned, sitting there in his wheelchair.

  Gabe whirled around—but not before Sam glimpsed the look of fear on his face.

  Her brother quickly relaxed. “Nice try,” he scoffed. “But it’s not going to work.”

  Sheldon scowled at them.

  Sam averted her eyes. “What?” she said to her brother. “Can’t you see the guy in the wheelchair? He’s right behind you.”

  “See him?” said Gabe. “There’s no one there.”

  He peered around. “I do see that Chinese guy down there.” He pointed over the balustrade. “Obviously he works here—he’s dressed like a cook. Probably came to sweep up the mess.”

  Sam rushed to the banister. “Oh my gosh! Howie!”

  “Finally!” J.J. raced over to look too.

  “Howie who?” asked Gabe. “Not Howie the ghost they talked about on the tour night before last. This guy’s real.”

  “I can’t see him. Where’d he go?” Sam ran around the centre well, trying to view the floor below from different angles, but whoever had been downstairs was gone now. The plant mess was all that remained.

  “Can you still see him?” J.J. called from the opposite side.

  “No,” said Gabe.

  “Yikes, Sheldon’s gone too.” Sam stared at the spot where he’d just been.

  Grandma Louise peered out of the first guest room doorway. “What’s going on?”

  Gabe smirked as Sam related the incident. “It must be a Chinese cook who’s working here now,” he said.

  Robin shook her head. “There aren’t any cooks on staff. I’ll go check it out.” She disappeared downstairs, and Grandma Louise went back into the bedroom with Gabe.

  J.J. tugged at the straps of her backpack. “Do you really think it was Howie?”

  “Who knows,” said Sam. Then she chuckled. “We want Gabe to see a ghost so he’ll believe in them. Then he sees one we haven’t seen and thinks it’s a real person!”

  J.J. laughed too. “We have to come up w
ith something to convince him.”

  “If only the ghosts would co-operate,” said Sam.

  “Yeah, we’re not doing so well at calling them,” J.J. admitted.

  “Guess they appear when they want to, kind of like my cat.” Sam thought for a minute. “Or do you think maybe they don’t have any control over when people can see them and we just got lucky?” Tingles raced up her spine. “This ghost detecting is definitely, uh, exciting.”

  Another roll of thunder sounded overhead and the skylight dimmed.

  Sam grabbed J.J.’s hand. “Let’s find the others.”

  chapter seven

  where are you girls off to?” asked a growly voice as they turned away.

  Sam’s heart jumped in her chest. She spun around. “Sheldon! How come you keep appearing and disappearing?” she demanded.

  The ghost ignored their question. “I don’t like that boy with you, sticking his nose up at the likes of me. Who does he think he is, ignoring me like that?”

  “He didn’t see you,” J.J. explained.

  “He chose not to, you mean.” Sheldon glared at them with one dark brown eye. “He’s just like all the rest of the visitors. Just because I’m crippled and in a wheelchair doesn’t mean I should be snubbed.”

  “My brother doesn’t believe you’re real,” said Sam.

  Sheldon snorted. “I’m as real as you are.”

  Sam and J.J. glanced at one another.

  “Uh, not quite,” Sam said cautiously. Didn’t Sheldon know he was a ghost either?

  “What do you mean?” he asked.

  Sam bit her lip. How would Sheldon react when they told him? “Where do you think you are?” she asked.

  He snorted again. “As if you didn’t know.” Sheldon turned his back on them and began wheeling away. “I’m sick of your silly games. Bad enough I have to put up with that monkey.”

  “Wait!” Sam called after him. “A monkey? Do you mean Jocko?”

  Keeping his back to them, Sheldon retorted, “Don’t know his name. Showed up yesterday.”

  Sam and J.J. caught up to him. How come Sheldon could suddenly see Jocko?

  “You seen him yet?” he grunted.