Restless Spirits by Shyla Colt Read Free Book Online

for you!” She waved the white envelope like a victory flag. Color rose in Bronwyn’s checks, and she walked away from the bar, snatching the letter from her friend’s hands.
    “Go ahead, open it,” the dark-haired woman said, waving her hands in excitement.
    Bronwyn tore the letter open and pulled out a beige piece of paper. Her eyes scanned the letter, and she gasped. Her body swayed. The letter fluttered to the ground.
    “Bron!”
    Bronwyn fell back into her friend’s arms, dazed and shaken. Tears rolled down her face, and her chest heaved.
    Demi glanced down at the letter. William McDaniel perished at sea. Her heart ached for the waif beside her. This was her tragedy. The death of her fiancé had trapped her in this hotel. The power love had to ruin had never been clearer. Images shifted like a flip book. Bronwyn morphed into an old woman. Stooped, alone, and followed by grief. Panic set Demi’s heart a gallop like a runaway horse. This was what she’d decided to open herself up to. The scene had played out like a ghostly movie, each shape distinct yet slightly transparent.
    An icy hand gripped her shoulders, and she jumped. Bronwyn pointed at the door.
    “You want me to follow you?”
    Bronwyn nodded and turned, pausing to look over her shoulder. She glided through the door, and Demi gathered her courage and followed behind her. Slipping out of the room unnoticed, she trailed the apparition. Benevolent and incredibly sad, the ghost, Bron, touched a soft spot inside her. How could Demi pass on the chance to end someone’s suffering? If only I had been able to do the same for my father . Memories of the slow fade after her mother’s unexpected death twisted her gut. Maybe she could make up for her own failings in some tiny way. Nothing she said had swayed him, and the uncanny resemblance had acted like a knife twisting the blade deeper into his broken heart, further shattering what was left of his spirit. They made their way down the stairs and outside the front door, wrapping around the building. When they came to the corner, Bronwyn moved forward and knelt down. She touched the brick pattern, and Demi shook her head.
    “You lost me.”
    A pained looked crossed Bronwyn’s face. Her image flickered, and one of the gray bricks moved.
    “There’s something inside.” Excitement chased away melancholy. Finally, the mystery of the white lady would be revealed. Demi rushed over and knelt beside her, removing the brick. Inside the recess, she found a faded yellow cloth. Her stomach knotted as she reached inside and pulled the lump out. She unwrapped the bundle and found a beautiful oval-shaped silver locket with floral designs carved on the shell. Her hands shook as she opened it up and found a picture of Bronwyn and a dashing man with a wicked smile, beard, and a naval uniform.
    “This is you and William.” Demi trailed her hand over the cool locket.
    Bronwyn nodded, and she smiled. Her aura seemed to lighten as she stood. Her corporeal form began to fade away, and Demi knew she’d helped her move on. The scent of roses filled the area, and tears ran down her cheeks. She held her waist and cried for her father and Bronwyn.
    “Demi, what the hell are you doing out here?”
    She jumped and turned to see Pierce walking toward her. His anger morphed to worry. “Are you okay? What happened?”
    “The ghost, her name was Bronwyn, and she lost her fiancé to the sea. She’s been stuck here all this time because of this.” She held out the locket.
    “What? How do you know that?”
    “She showed me. It was amazing, Pierce.”
    “Wait. You followed a ghost out here, in the middle of the night?”
    She bit her lower lip and nodded.
    “Are you out of your mind?” His voice rose.
    “Calm down. I’m fine.” She rested a hand on his shoulder, stilling his agitated movements.
    “You could’ve been seriously injured,” Pierce said.
    “She wouldn’t do that,” Demi said.
    “You don’t know that,” Pierce