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“I have some holy water left over from Walter’s funeral. We’ll sprinkle some around and say a prayer. Now let me get my things. You go on and help the girls. Make sure that god-awful dining room doesn’t have any flowers or fruits lying around. Spirits, or so I’ve heard, don’t like sweet or fruity scents. If there are any metal or glass objects, take them out of the room, too. Minerals supposedly interfere with the spirits’ ability to show themselves. Don’t ask. That Madam Butterfly lady told me that once.”

“I’ll make sure to check. See you downstairs.” Toots hurried out of the room.

Sophie made her way across the hall to her bedroom, hoping that whatever Toots had seen would show itself while she was in the room. She rummaged through her luggage until she found the small bottle of holy water that had been blessed at Walter’s funeral. She took her camcorder and a small tape recorder just in case the spirits decided to make themselves known through sounds. Sophie was excited, but she was scared, too. She trusted Toots, knew she wasn’t off her rocker, wasn’t seeing things. If Toots said she saw a ghost, a spirit, puffy clouds with faces inside, Sophie believed her 100 percent.

She pulled the purple silk top sheet off the bed, rolled it into a ball, then tucked it beneath her arm. She glanced around the nightmarish room once more. When she saw there were no floating clouds, cool gusts of air, or faces struggling to speak, she went downstairs.

Sophie closed the door to her room, then opened it. If there were something inside the room, she wanted to do everything in her power to help it make its exit. Who knew? It could just as easily walk through the door, but she left it open anyway. She wasn’t taking any chances.

Racing downstairs, she found Toots, Ida, and Mavis in the dining room, lighting candles. “Not too many, just enough to add a touch of light to the room. We don’t want a bonfire.”

Sophie shook the sheet out and draped it over the round wooden table, thinking it odd that the pop tart who’d rented the place actually had a decent piece of furniture that wasn’t pink, purple, or white Formica. The table was solid wood. Sophie wasn’t sure what kind, but she remembered reading somewhere that when wood was charged with an unnatural entity, it acted as a conductor. Therefore, it wasn’t necessary to hold hands or touch one another.

“Mavis, put one of the candles over here,” Sophie said, pointing to the center of the table.

“Oh yes, of course. You need to see.”

Once Sophie had all her props in place, she scanned the setting. It looked like something from a B movie. The round wooden table with a candle glowing in the center, the sheet’s edges billowing from the movement around the table, and three women who already looked as though they’d seen a ghost. All that was lacking was the proverbial crystal ball. She looked down at her cream-colored blouse, thinking maybe she should have dressed for the part as well. After all, this was Hollywood. Sophie could have wrapped herself up in one of the purple sheets on her bed.

In her most serious voice, Sophie said, “If you ladies are ready, I say we get down to business.”

Toots, Ida, and Mavis each stood behind a chair, their faces already pale with anticipation.

“First, I want to say a prayer. Bow your heads,” Sophie instructed.

They did as she asked.

“Oh great one, bless this dump and those who inhabit it, living or dead.” It was all Sophie could do to keep from laughing even though she was trying her hardest to act serious. The utter stupidity of what she was doing suddenly hit her, but it was too late to back out now.

“I’m not saying ‘amen’ to that one,” Toots whispered.

Sophie ignored her and began walking around the room. She sprinkled the holy water, saying, “We come in peace. Please don’t be frightened.” She remembered an old sci-fi movie where they’d said words similar to hers. After she’d circled the room three times, Sophie took her seat.

“Let’s sit down and join hands.”

Again the women followed her directions.

Mavis was on her left, Toots to her right and—thank God—Ida was seated between Toots and Mavis. Sophie really didn’t want to hold her hand.

Sophie chuckled to herself, thinking that under other circumstances it would have been almost too bad that Ida was cured of her obsessive-compulsive disorder. She would’ve loved nothing more than to have arranged for Ida to sit next to her and to have Ida reach for her hand, only to find it dirty and smelly. Sophie could’ve found a dead fish or something and rubbed it across her palm. Ida would have had a heart attack.

Next, Sophie pushed the candle away from the center of the table and put a drinking glass in its place.

“I want everyone to relax, think of something pleasant. Ida, think of a man. Take a deep breath,” Sophie said, getting into her role. “Now imagine someone from the past, someone you would like to connect with. Deep breaths in. Now out.” Sophie’s hypnotic words were having an effect on the three. They looked as though they were in a trance. Wasn’t she the one supposed to be in a trancelike state? She cleared her head. Didn’t matter, they were into this now, and she wasn’t going to do anything that would ruin it. They would all have a good laugh about it later.

“If there is someone in the room with us, make yourself known.” Sophie paused, waiting for something to crash. When nothing did, she continued. “We’re not here to cause harm. We are friendly.” God, had she actually said that? Yep, Sophie Manchester, you certainly did. “Is there someone out there who would like to communicate a message to someone? We want to help you.”

The room was silent except for the sound of their breathing. “Girls, think of someone who has passed, a friend or family member you would like to give a message to.” Sophie saw the three around the table, their eyes squeezed tight in concentration.

Several minutes passed before Sophie spoke again. She remembered reading in one of her psychic books that if an hour passed, and there were no signs of paranormal activity, then it was time to stop.

Suddenly, the room became icy, bone-chilling cold. Sophie’s eyes grew to the size of saucers. Mavis looked like she was ready to faint. Toots didn’t appear to be frightened, but Ida seemed to be in a state of shock. Sophie was in control. She could do this. Take a deep breath. In and out, she told herself.

“We’re not here to cause any harm, please know that.” In a whisper, Sophie said to the girls, “Place your fingertips on the glass, very lightly.” They did. “Good, now, whoever is here, we want to talk to you. There is a drinking glass in the center of this table. If you see the glass, try to move it.” Sophie waited. “Use your fingertips to move the glass.” Again she waited several seconds. Nothing happened.

“If you’re a male, could you try to move the glass to my right? If you’re a female, move the glass to my left. We want to help you.” Sophie paused, focusing her attention on the glass. Without warning, the glass slowly moved to the right, then stopped.

The women drew in their respective breaths in one giant gasp. “Nothing to be frightened of, ladies. Take a deep, calming breath.” They followed her instruction.

Sophie’s gaze went back to the glass. “You are a man. Move the glass to my right for yes or to the left for no.”

Except for the fizzing sounds of the candles’ burning wicks, the room was silent. All stared intently at the drinking glass. Ever so slowly the glass moved to the right. “Son of a—” Sophie stopped herself. Deciding to go with it, she asked, “Are you a movie star? If your answer is yes, please move the glass to my right.”

All four women observed the glass as it moved to Sophie’s right for the third time. The chill in the room soaked in clear to her bones. “If this house we are in belonged to you, please move the glass to the right for yes, to the left for no,” Sophie repeated.

Again all were mesmerized by the movements of the glass as it slid ever so slightly to the left. Sophie gasped. “Were you ever married to any of the women is this room?” Sophie asked in a small voice. What if Walter showed himself? Sophie looked up to find Toots staring at her. Toots offered up a weak, but reassuring smile. She knew what Sophie was thinking.

They all focused their gaze on the glass as it slowly moved to the left. Sophie let out such a deep breath that the flame on the candle wavered. Relief was etched across all of their faces. Suddenly the candle went out, a breeze swept through the room, and the glass, wavering on the edge of the table, slid off and crashed to the floor.

“Oh my God!” Mavis shouted.

Sophie glared at her. “Shhh!”

Mavis nodded.

Sophie regained control of the séance. “If you are angry, it’s okay. Are you angry?” Sophie realized there wasn’t a solid object for the spirit to use as a means of communication. Not wanting to get up and go to the kitchen for another glass, Sophie eyed the burned-out candle. “Let’s place our fingertips around the candle.”

Again, they followed her instructions.

They’d barely touched the candle when it fell to the right. Sophie’s eyes never once left the candle.

“You are angry.” The candle rolled to the edge of the table, stopping abruptly. The women jerked their hands back as though they had been burned. “It’s okay. Nothing to be afraid of. Just relax. Let’s join hands.”

Again their hands formed a circle around the table. Their hands were bitterly cold now, almost stiff. Sophie was beginning to fear she’d bitten off more than she could chew. She squeezed Toots’s hand; Toots returned the squeeze.

“Are you angry at someone in this room?” Sophie asked, afraid of the answer as she gazed at the candle teetering on the edge of the table.

The candle rolled back to the center of the table, then to the left. Sophie looked at Ida, who was deathly pale. Mavis’s eyes were closed, and Toots had a death grip on her hand.

Sophie continued to guide the spirit. “You are not angry with someone in this room?” The candle rolled slowly to the right.

All at once the room returned to its normal temperature. Sophie knew that whoever had been there was gone. She eyed the candle. It remained on its side. Their hands no longer felt quite as cold. “Bless all who reside in this house, past, present, and future,” Sophie said, then let go of Toots’s and Mavis’s hands. They in turn released their hold on Ida.

They looked at one another, unsure of what to say.

Sophie took charge. “Let’s go out to the deck. I need a cigarette.”

“Me, too,” Toots added in a shaky voice.

They were all silent as they followed Sophie out to the deck. She grabbed her pack of Marlboros, lit one, handed it to Toots, then lit another for herself. Nothing was said, as each of them tried to come to terms with what had just taken place in the dining room. Sophie had more or less thought the entire séance thing was a joke until the biting cold had swept through the room. Their having contacted someone/something wasn’t funny. Not in the least.

“So”—she took a deep drag from her cigarette—“what just happened back there…we shouldn’t tell anyone.”

“Absolutely not!” Toots said. “If Abby finds out we’re talking to…whatever that was, she’ll have each and every one of us committed.”

Mavis and Ida nodded their agreement.

Toots crushed her cigarette out in the shell, then lit another. “Let’s have a drink.”

Before they could answer, Toots went back inside, returning minutes later with a bottle of scotch and four shot glasses. Words were unnecessary as she poured the amber liquid into the glasses. Toots passed the drinks to her friends. They tossed back the liquid as though it were water. Toots poured a second round. After the third, they relaxed a bit, and their tongues loosened as well.

“What the fuck just happened in there?” Toots asked.

“This frigging dump is haunted, that’s what happened. I don’t know if I even want to spend the night here,” Sophie said. “Ida, Mavis? What do you two think happened in that room?”

Mavis was drunk from the three shots of whiskey. “Like you said”—her words slurred together in one sentence—“thereisaghostinthishouse.”

Sophie smiled. “Ida?”

“I never thought I would be saying this, but I think this place is haunted. I for one am not going to spend another night under this roof.”

“I agree. I think we all should go to Abby’s for the night. We can tell her we lost power,” Sophie stated firmly.

“No! I don’t want to do that. Abby will know right away something other than losing the power is wrong. She knows each and every one of us like the back of her hand. We can’t go there. I don’t want to leave. This is my damned house, and I will not let a…ghost chase me out of it. Besides, I think our resident spirit is harmless.” Toots poured herself another shot of whiskey.

In a shaky voice, Ida asked, “How do you know that?”

“If he meant us any harm, he would have harmed us tonight. Right, Sophie?” Toots questioned.

“You’re probably right. I think whoever this is…is frustrated. I think we should call those people on TV, tell them this place is haunted. We might even get to go on the show. We could be reality stars. Sort of…” Sophie’s words fizzled when she saw the look on Toots’s face. “Okay, that’s not a good idea.”

“We are going to do nothing. At least for now. We cannot let what happened here tonight leave this house. I want you all to swear to me that you will not repeat what happened here tonight.” Toots placed both of her hands down on the small glass table, one on top of the other. Sophie followed, then Mavis. Ida was last as usual, but this was their secret handshake. They only used it when they were serious. And this ghost stuff was serious business.

“Okay. It’s agreed. We won’t tell anyone about this. Not now. Sophie, when can we have another séance? Is there a rule about how often you can hold one of them?”

“Not that I’m aware of. Let’s try it again tomorrow night. Same time. We’ll try to make sure the scenario is as close to tonight’s as possible, see what happens. Meanwhile, I think I will go online and do a bit of research. Maybe something terrible happened in this house. Maybe that’s why you were able to purchase a Malibu beach house for three-point-eight million dollars.” Sophie raised her brow. “Wasn’t Sharon Tate killed around here somewhere?”