The House That Wants Project

Chapter 7

THTW 2023 Chapter 7

         Before Darrel could knock, Tim Logan opened the door to the Manor.
         "From the feelings here I may not be welcome," said Kristin.
         "Marissa is just being hysterical," said Tim. "Please come in."
         "Tell me what happened."
         Everyone was huddled in the living room. Brad was consoling Nancy who was wrapped in just a robe and blanket and was covered in red. Marissa was coddling Bethany who was almost hidden under a blanket. A sleepy James was laying n the couch in a pair of PJs. Marissa looked up when they entered the living room but quickly looked down again, pulling Bethany closer to her. Iris had been sitting on the stair, remarkably calm.
         "Nancy was taking a shower," said Brad, "Everything was fine. We were all getting ready for bed. Then Nancy started screaming. When I got to the bathroom, the whole shower was red. Nancy stood there wide eyed covered in blood. It was everywhere."
         "It was just some sort of rust," said Marissa. "Or someone put dye in the pipes."
         Tim picked up a towel from the footstool. "You can see for yourself it is blood."
         Darrel took the towel and examined it. There was blood smeared into it and soaked in in places. Kristin looked at the towel and smelled it but wouldn't touch it.
         Kristin took a few steps in a clockwise circle at the bottom of the stairs. Iris watched her with a sneer on her face.
         "Your white magick will not help you. You are cursed. We are all cursed."
         Marissa stood watching the interaction and sighed. "I just want to protect my children."
         "I assume none of the blood is Nancy's."
         "I checked her over and she's okay," said Brad.
         "Thank goodness for that."
         Darrel had examined the bloody bathroom. "There's blood in the shower head but not in the pipes. I can't figure it out."
         "I'd like to take a sample of the blood to a colleague of mine."
         "There's a jar I washed out in the kitchen," said Nancy.
         "That'll work, thank you." Kristin got the jar and the sample from the bathroom. "I think we've done all we can here tonight."
         "Stay out of the bathroom," said Darrel. "I'll have Shaun and Dean come clean it up and check the pipes in the morning."
         "Thank you for coming tonight," said Tim.
         As they left, Kristin studied the front of the manor. She could see movement in the upstairs windows and knew it wasn't any of the Logans.
         "What exactly are you up to?" whispered Kristin.
         The Logans were still shaken up but a bit more hopeful when Shaun and Dean showed up in the work truck the next morning. The boys were there to help clean up the blood mess in the shower.
         Darrel got to the manor a little later than the boys, giving the Logans time to eat breakfast and get themselves together for the day before he arrived. Brad and Tim had started work on some of the renovating of the basement.

         Kristin took the blood sample she had collected to the County Coroner. Robert Denison had been one of Linda Shelby's closest friends and looked at Kristin like he would a niece. He told her it was blood, but he wouldn't know much more than that without a few tests.
         When she came out of the office, she found a trailer for sale on the grass across the street. Kristin had some ideas that morning and that trailer would be perfect to help her carry it out. Kristin called the number on the sign and the young man who owned the trailer came out to meet her. The transaction was over in minutes.

         Early that afternoon, Kristin arrived pulling the trailer behind the little black bug. The trailer had some odds and ends furniture in it, along with a sewing machine and a few bolts of material. There was even a couple of dress forms.
         "Where did all this come from?" asked Marissa.
         "From the house I grew up in. My mother used to sew in her youth and my Aunt thought that she could get her interested again. The stuff was never touched."
         "Why are you all so generous to us?"
         "I told you the other day this is my Aunt's legacy. She was very generous and helped many people when she was alive. Helping you is like paying her back for all she did."
         "I wish I could have met her," said Nancy.
         "I think it would be nice to honor her with a picture in the foyer," said Marissa.
         "I think she would like that."
         The guys helped bring the furniture and things for the boutique in the house. There was a small room that Marissa planned on using for storage off the sunroom. Kristin convinced her it would be better used as a sewing room and a back room for the boutique.
         Kristin got a call and sent Shaun and Dean off with her bug and trailer. One of the stores in Carroll was going out of business as the owner was moving out of state. Kristin made a deal to buy their shelving and mannequins. Marissa started crying when she seen the boys return with the loaded trailer. They helped her set up the sunroom with all the things.
         Kristin went to where Darrel and Mitch were working on Tim's potential office.
         "I can get some maps for the walls," said Mitch, "and I'm sure I can come up with a spare desk."
         Tim Logan had come upstairs just in time to hear Mitch.
         "You all are doing so much for us," said Tim.
         "It's no problem, and besides, it's fun."
         Marissa practically danced into the room. "Tim, you have to come see what all Kristin has done. The boutique is beautiful."
         Tim smiled. "I'll snap off some pictures and go to the library and create an advertising campaign and some fliers."