Savannah's Secret

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Savannah's Secret - book excerpt

Chapter 1

Elizabeth Tanner awoke to the sound of a squeal coming from their barn and wearily looked at her alarm clock as her blurry blue eyes read two-thirty in the morning. She slowly rolled into a sitting position and heard the squeal again. She quickly grabbed her robe as her long wavy disheveled auburn hair bounced off her shoulders.

Her thirteen-year-old petite frame cautiously tiptoed out of her bedroom and snuck past her parent’s room carefully missing the creaky boards in front of their door. She descended the stairs and quickly slipped on her rain boots, grabbed a flashlight out of the junk drawer, and cautiously made her way out toward the barn.

The squealing had stopped, but she heard a strange gurgling sound just inside the opened doorway. She slowly tilted her head and leaned in as she tried to adjust her eyes to the pitch-black stable. She entered the barn and walked toward the pigs and the sound of slurping.

The moonlight shot its vibrant beam through an opening in the ceiling, which revealed a dark figure huddled over one of the pigs in the corner of the stall. Elizabeth stood frozen until she turned and lost her balance and knocked a shovel off the wall creating a loud crash. When she shined the flashlight toward the corner of the pig stall, she saw a pair of golden eyes staring back at her. Within seconds, the figure leaped onto the wall on all fours and crawled along the ceiling, and then slithered out through the loft door and disappeared.

Elizabeth couldn’t believe what she witnessed as she pointed the flashlight onto the pigs and the fluorescent beam revealed one of them covered in blood. She threw down the flashlight and ran toward the house trying to decipher what had just happened and immediately screamed out to her parents.

Marie Bartek-Miller sat cross-legged in her kitchen chair sipping her coffee as she continued to reminisce about the honeymoon pictures from France. It was a dream come true to have visited the country where her ancestors had lived. She stopped at a photo of she and Cory standing in front of Notre Dame and smiled at her six-foot-two husband looking sexy in his jeans, button-down oxford, and showing his pearly whites for the camera.

Before she swiped through to the next photo, she heard the door open from the bathroom and sensed her husband approach her from behind. Without turning around, she said, “Good morning, handsome.”

Cory Miller leaned down and swiftly moved Marie’s long blonde hair to the side as he brushed a light kiss on her neck. “Good morning, my wife. Are you looking at those photos again?”

“I’m dreaming of our honeymoon and how amazing it was. I also realized I need to go on a diet after all of the food I ate.”

“I think we need to get that picture of us at the Eiffel Tower framed. Your eyes are particularly green in that one, and you do not need to go on a diet. With your height, you can eat anything.”

“I’m only five foot seven. I may swim a few laps this morning. The ocean seems pretty calm. By the way, the coffee is on, and I was trying to decide on eggs or just a muffin.” Marie felt her three-year-old chocolate lab, Bailey, nudge his wet snout on her calf. “I think Bailey’s hungry too.”

Cory poured his coffee and set it on the counter and proceeded to dump a cup of dog food in the large raised ceramic dish. “Gale said Bailey was great company, but he did mope around quite a bit while we were gone.”

“I know, he hates it when we leave him. Speaking of which, I may take him to work with me. He loves seeing all the animals that come into the office.”

Cory took a sip of the hot brew and sat down in the kitchen chair next to her. “That’s the beauty of being the owner of your veterinary practice. It’s going to be hard getting back into the groove of going to work after being in France for the last two weeks.”

“Tell me about it. We need to have the team over for a barbecue and share our photos with them. Of course, we don’t want to drag that out. I don’t want to bore them.” Marie chuckled.

“I think that’s a great idea. Besides, you’re dying to hear about the Parson investigation.”

Marie grinned wide and crossed her eyes. “You know me so well. Gale said they had a great night and a ton of experiences. They caught a bunch of EVPs. Let’s do it this Saturday. I’ll send a group text this morning and see if everyone can make it.”

Cory winked and got up from the table and walked over to the stove. “Why don’t I make some scrambled eggs, and you toast us some English muffins?”

“Sounds good to me.” Marie watched Bailey lap up the last of his food, and she shook her head. “Bailey’s done inhaling his breakfast. Do you want strawberry or blackberry jam?”

Cory cracked the eggs into a bowl and began whisking them at a rapid pace. “Surprise me.”

Marie opened the refrigerator, grabbed the blackberry jam, and set it on the counter. Before she could pop the muffins in the toaster oven, her phone rang. She glanced at the name Gale Winters and smiled, “Looks like Gale can’t get enough of me.”

Cory dumped the eggs into the hot frying pan and then lowered the heat. “You two are joined at the hip. I’ll take over and finish the muffins. You’ll be lucky if you get to eat anything after talking with her.”

Marie scrunched up her nose and then tapped the green accept button and placed it on speaker. “Good morning, girlfriend, are you missing me already? You just saw us last night.”

Gale’s voice lazily came through the speaker. “Very funny, I was just awakened by a frantic phone call for an investigation.”

“You just woke up? Gale, it’s nine thirty.”

“Don’t lecture me, Mom. Tim and I had a late night after we picked you up from the airport. Anyway, you’re going to love this. The call was from a Mrs. Barbara Tanner. She lives in Savannah, Georgia and she believes her daughter saw a vampire. Can you believe it? A vampire? That just cracks me up.”

“Okay, that’s different, but what are we supposed to do about that? I mean we deal with ghost investigations. We've never dealt with vampires. What does she want us to do?”

“She wants us to go to her place and do an investigation. She claims her daughter, Elizabeth, witnessed something killing one of their pigs.”

“Are you serious?”

“Yeah, and after she spotted it with a flashlight, she saw gold eyes, and then it climbed up the wall, on the ceiling, and then out of their barn loft door. Do you think the girls a little cuckoo, or was it real?”

“I’m not sure how we can help, and I have no clue if she’s cuckoo. Cory and I were planning on having you and the SIPS team over this Saturday for a barbecue. I think this would be the perfect opportunity to discuss this. What do you think? Are you and Tim available?”

“Hell, yeah, Tim did his night shift stint at the firehouse last weekend. I’m always free. I can close the antique shop anytime. It’s time for my margaritas and salsa dip. By the way, how’s it feel to be married? Did you and Cory have a welcome home romp last night?”

Cory yelled, “That’s none of your business.”

“Marie, take me off the speaker. Hi, Cory, how are you?”

Marie hit the speaker button and placed it up to her ear. “You’re such a dope. Talk to Tim. We’re thinking drinks at six. I’ll round everyone else up. Talk to you later.”

Cory placed two plates of eggs and a plate of muffins on the table. “Oh, how I’ve missed her crazy.”

Marie smiled and said, “Yeah, me too.”

“I suppose I’ll have to catch up on the crazy that’s been going on around here and down at the station.” Cory rolled his eyes and bit into a muffin loaded with blackberry jam.

“I’m sure your deputies handled things well enough while you were gone. I think the town of Sullivan’s Island survived without their chief of police.” Marie winked and finished the last bite of scrambled eggs. “You make the best eggs.”

“You always say that because you didn’t have to make them.”

“True, but they are good. I’m going to stop at the grocery store after I make my rounds today. We’re out of everything. I’ll need to stock up on extra snacks for our barbecue. I suspect it’ll be a long night.”

“I think I’m going to be late tonight. I’m sure I’ll need to catch up on a mound of paperwork. No need to keep my dinner warm.” Cory stood up and kissed her on the forehead.

“My dear husband, surely you know me by now. I don’t make dinner, but I’ll keep the take-out warm for you.” Marie gathered the plates and set them in the sink.

Cory grabbed Marie around the waist and pulled her close. “I love it when you call me your husband.”

Marie set her chin on his chest and looked up into his deep brown eyes. “I know, but unfortunately we have no time this morning to relish being husband and wife. Back to reality.”

Cory released her grip and slapped her on the ass. “Reality sucks.”

“Yes, yes it does.” Marie grabbed Bailey’s leash and knelt down on the floor. “Come on boy, you need your morning constitution, and we need to get to work.”

Cory chuckled as Bailey’s tail thumped against the floor. “He’s glad to be back to reality.”

Marie smiled at the motley crew surrounding the snack table in the meeting room on top of her garage. As much as she loved France and meeting her long-distance relatives, she missed this amazing group of people who have given her support with learning to understand her psychic abilities, as well as solving murders and dealing with demon possessions and the occult. There was no other place she’d rather be.

“Marie we are so glad you’re both back home. We missed you and Cory.” Jim Rawlings leaned his tall, thin frame against the wall as he shoved a corn chip drenched in salsa in his mouth. He smelled of mentholated cream, and his balding head glowed under the lights.

Marie replied, “Thank you, Jim. We missed all of you too. France was a dream come true, but it’s always nice to come home. Anything exciting happening at the store?”

Jim owned the local Kangaroo Express and had a tender heart and was adored by the community. Some felt sorry he was married to Mimi. “No, same old thing going on, but we did hire a new clerk. Although Mimi isn’t too happy about it because she’s eighteen and looks like Jennifer Lawrence.”

“Oh, well good luck with that.” Marie patted Jim on the shoulder and shook her head.

“Who looks like Jennifer Lawrence?” Mimi Rawlings, the local pharmacist, appeared out of nowhere wearing a powder blue sundress that showed off her recently thinner body as her wire-rimmed glasses slid down her plump nose.

Marie tried to deflect the argument that was about to ensue with Jim. “I was just telling Jim that a waitress who waited on us in France looked like Jennifer Lawrence. Mimi, you look great. You must be sticking to that diet you started before we left.”

Mimi was immediately distracted by the praise as she smiled and said, “Thank you, Marie. I’m glad some of you noticed.”

Jim rolled his eyes and walked away as he mumbled, “I noticed.”

Marie said, “I love your hair. You got some highlights.”

“Yes, I’ve needed a change, and I feel like a new woman. The doctor is pleased that my blood pressure is leveling, and I may be able to come off my medicine. My nutritionist has worked wonders for me.” Mimi bit into a strawberry and continued chewing before she said, “We can’t wait to hear about France and also to tell you how the Parson investigation went. It was a night of crazy activity.”

“That’s what Gale told me. We have a lot to catch up on.” Marie guided Mimi over to the conference table and set her empty margarita glass down on the table.

“What did I tell you?” Gale stood next to Marie wearing a low-cut T-shirt that read Good Girls Do Bad Things and jean shorts that accentuated her curvy build. Her five-inch wedged sandals had her towering over Mimi.

Marie read her shirt and raised her right eyebrow. “You go out in public with that shirt?”

“There’s nothing wrong with this shirt. Tim thinks it’s funny.” Gale swished her long sable hair behind her back and strutted over to the pitcher of margaritas. “Marie, you look like you need a refill.”

“Yes and thank you. I was telling Mimi that you told me about the Parson investigation.”

Gale walked over to Marie carrying the margarita pitcher and began filling her glass. “We have lots to talk about and share. I say we get down to business.”

Tim Haines walked over to Marie and said, “Welcome home again. I’m looking forward to hearing more about France.” Tim’s biceps hadn’t shrunk any while they were in France as his shirtsleeves clung on for dear life. His fire chief hat was molded to his head and his brown military styled hair peeked out at the edges.

“It was amazing. We have pictures to share, but we’ll do that after we go over your findings from the Parson’s house.”

“Great, is Cory coming tonight?”

“He’ll be here shortly. He had an impromptu council meeting he had to attend.”

“They’re probably discussing the elevator installation at the station.” Harry Connor slithered in on their conversation wearing his usual wrinkled suit and bow tie. His dark-rimmed glasses no longer displayed medical tape at the nose.

“Harry, how are you? Are you ready for school yet?” Marie leaned over and kissed his cheek.

Harry blushed and said, “I’m always ready for school. It’s the students who aren’t.”

Gale smiled and let out a big sigh. “Being the guidance counselor, I would imagine you look forward to dealing with the deviants at Wando High.”

“We don’t call them deviants, but yes, I look forward to chatting with those who need my services.”

“Ahh, Harry, always the diplomat.” Gale winked and walked away from the group.

Marie placed her hand on Harry’s forearm. “Ignore her, Harry. After all, look at the silly shirt she’s wearing.”

Gale yelled back, “I heard that.”

Marie sat down at the table and began shuffling through her notebook and said, “Will Isabella be joining us tonight?”

Mimi replied, “Yes, I ran into her at the pharmacy today. She said she’d be a little late because she was dog sitting for their neighbor. They’re supposed to be coming home from vacation today.”

Isabella Swanson was thirteen with shoulder-length platinum hair and the newest member of SIPS. Marie had become her mentor after discovering she had psychic abilities. She blamed herself for the kidnapping of Isabella by the local professor who had decapitated three people on the island the month before. Isabella was a crucial player in helping them solve the case. She was a great addition to the team, but more importantly, she filled the void Marie had after losing her mentor, Myra Cummings.

“Okay, I think it’s time we go over the evidence you all got from the Parson investigation, and then try to decide how we can help the Tanner family. We may be taking a trip to Savannah.”

Marie watched the team gather in their seats as they pulled out their laptops and equipment and started to share their findings with Marie. She began taking notes as the buzz of their voices put a smile on her face, and she thought, yes, it’s good to be home.