“Uh, oh,” Harper said, echoing Natalie’s initial reaction. “What do we do?”
The blare of a horn reminded Natalie she’d stopped in the middle of the road for no apparent reason as far as the other drivers could tell.
Knuckles still white from gripping the steering wheel, Natalie knocked herself out of her ghost mob stupor and eased her foot off the brake and onto the gas. The ghosts had moved to stare at her through the side window which was creepy as hell but at least they were out of her way so she didn’t have to drive through them.
Grateful to put distance between her and them, she hit the accelerator. “We go to the hotel and check in.”
Not that she believed The Salem Inn was going to be any less haunted than the rest of the town…
“Then what?” Harper asked what was admittedly a valid question.
Natalie navigated down the street at a crawl, no longer stopping for the spirits that stood defiantly unmoving in front of her, but still flinching as she drove through them.
A cloud covered the sun and her surroundings took on an even more eerie feel. She shook off the chill running down her spine with a shudder.
“I’ll figure something out,” she said.
Harper shot her a doubt-filled glance. Natalie didn’t believe her own words. Why should Harper?
She winced as the car’s hood passed through one smoke blackened female spirit wearing a charred wool skirt. Natalie swallowed hard and realized what a colossal mistake coming here had been.
The Salem Inn finally came into view. Not a single building but instead what appeared to be a hotel comprised of three historical structures. Old ones. Every one with the potential for countless spirits.
Great.
Too late to turn back now, Natalie parked and quickly grabbed her bag out of the back seat, leaving Harper to deal with her own luggage.
Curiosity traversed the boundary between living and dead. The Salem spirit information network seemed to spread the news of Natalie’s arrival even faster than the Mudville gossip mill. The gathering cluster of spirits outside the hotel was evidence of that.
Head down, she avoided eye contact with the spirits as she walked faster than ever toward the main entrance.
So far, at least, they’d kept their distance. They didn’t approach, but they stared. An intense, piercing lifeless stare that chilled her to her very soul.
When she finally reached the door, she yanked it wide and slipped inside.
Glancing around, the ghost to living ratio was a lot more favorable. One sat in the corner, not even looking at her. Thank goodness for small favors.
Natalie’s gratitude took a tumble when she stopped to read the sign that greeted her just inside the hotel’s entrance.
Welcome to the Salem Inn
voted the most haunted lodging in Salem
She groaned.
“Checking in?” the front desk attendant’s question startled her out of her own thoughts.
“Yes, please.” She moved closer to the front desk and dropped the handle of her bag. “Natalie Chase. The Salem Historical Society booked my room.”
“Yes. I have your reservation right here and don’t worry, I won’t give you room 17,” he said with a wink.
“Why? What’s wrong with room 17?” Coming up behind her, Harper asked the question Natalie wasn’t sure she wanted the answer to.
“It’s reputed to be haunted by the spirit of a woman who died tragically. Although she usually only bothers male guests and generally leaves the ladies alone. We believe she is either named Katherine or Elizabeth.”
Natalie hated to tell him there were plenty of ghosts all over this place. Not just good old Katherine or Elizabeth. And they definitely did not restrict themselves to room 17.
“Will you be parking a car with us today?”
