Ghost Girl in Shadow Bay: A Young Adult Haunted House Mystery by R. Barri Flowers Read Free Book Online Page A

the
other is.
    She gazed down at Peyton a bit longer before
drifting towards the window. The moon was full, eerily lighting the
night. Caitlyn admired the beauty so many people took for granted.
If only she could touch and taste that which she could no longer
feel. Perhaps someday. Some way. Soon.
    Then reality set in for Caitlyn. Any such
future was in peril as long as she was trapped by tragedy and
forces far stronger than her.
    The girl turned around and saw her mother
standing there. She had a soft smile on her face and reached out to
Caitlyn. Taking her mother's hand, she smiled back, remembering
when their smiles came often before darkness encompassed their
household for all time.
    Both smiles vanished abruptly when Caitlyn's
father appeared. He peered at them with eyes that were hollow and
foreboding. When her father approached, they backed up, but had
nowhere to go. He glanced back at the bed, eyeing Peyton
sleeping.
    Looking at Caitlyn and her mother again, an
evil grin played on his lips and he reached out for them. Caitlyn
tried to resist, but knew it was a lost cause. He was too strong
for them to fight--at least by themselves.
    The three spirits held hands as they
vanished.

CHAPTER NINE
     
    Two days later, Peyton got up the nerve to
go to the cottage to visit Bryant. She hadn't seen him lately and
hoped he wasn't avoiding her. She might be making a complete idiot
out of herself, but she missed him and decided he was worth the
risk.
    Peyton noticed that the Civic was missing
from the driveway as she rang the doorbell.
    Luke came to the door. He looked at her as
if she had surely come to the wrong place.
    "Peyton...?" His brow furrowed. "Something
wrong at the house?"
    Seeing Luke brought back the memory of him
flirting with her mother. Or was it the other way around? In light
of her suddenly domineering and seemingly possessive stepfather,
Peyton began to seriously wonder if her mother had married the
wrong man the second time around. Of course, her mother hadn't
known Luke at the time. Also, if they had tied the knot, it would
have made Bryant Peyton's stepbrother. The thought was less than
appealing, all things considered.
    "No, there's nothing wrong," Peyton said
with a slight smile. At least nothing that you can fix. But
maybe you can help in another way . "I was just wondering if
Bry--Bryant was around."
    She wasn't sure if Luke looked more relieved
or concerned, but he responded, "Bryant's at work."
    Peyton had suspected as much when she didn't
see his car, but was still disappointed to hear it.
    "Okay, guess I'll see him some other
time."
    "I'll be sure to tell him you stopped
by."
    "Thanks." Peyton tried to think of something
else to say, but nothing came to mind. "See you around."
    "Bye, Peyton."
    She walked away, hearing the door close
behind her. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all. Maybe
Luke didn't want her to get too serious with his son.
    Peyton decided she was overanalyzing things
as usual. Why would Luke care if she and Bryant started seeing each
other? That had nothing to do with Luke liking her mother. Or vice
versa. Not in so many words.
    * * *
    Peyton brushed her teeth after lunch and
thought about watching TV or reading a book. Anything to avoid
another scene with her mother. It seemed as if they were less and
less on the same page these days and Peyton was still trying to
figure out why.
    If only dad hadn't died, then life would be
back to normal, if there was such a thing.
    Peyton rinsed out her mouth and gazed into
the mirror. She suddenly gasped as an image appeared behind her
reflection. It was the girl in the bay and her dream!
    Peyton froze. There was a stoic look on the
girl's face, but fear in her eyes. She reached out to Peyton,
causing her to practically jump out of her shoes. She swiveled
around, heart beating wildly, expecting to come face to face with
the strange girl.
    Instead, Peyton's mother was standing
there.
    "You look absolutely terrified," Melody
said. "What is