Virginia Creeper

virginia creeper
 The Mystery House Series, book ten
 Eva Pohler
 Copyright © 2023 by Eva Pohler.
 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the publisher, addressed “Attention: Permissions Coordinator,” at the address below.
 
 Eva Pohler Books
 20011 Park Ranch
 San Antonio, Texas 78259
 www.evapohler.com
 
 Publisher’s Note: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are a product of the author’s imagination. Locales and public names are sometimes used for atmospheric purposes. Any resemblance to actual people, living or dead, or to businesses, companies, events, institutions, or locales is completely coincidental.
 
 Copy Editor: Alexis Rigoni
 
 Book Cover Design by B Rose DesignZ
 
 VIRGINIA CREEPER/ Eva Pohler. -- 1st ed.
 
 
 
 Contents
 The House on Kestrel Court
 A Paranormal Investigation
 The Second Night
 The Shed
 A Secret Crypt
 Return to Williamsburg
 The Ghost Tour and the Creeper
 The Ghosts of Peyton Randolph House
 Hamilton
 Eve
 Crossings
 Sam Dickenson
 The Busch Gardens Incident
 The Monster
 Mr. Murphy’s Wine Cellar
 Jacinda Bloom
 Jolly Pond
 The Spiritualist
 The Curse
 Angels
 
 
 For all early Americans.
 
 Chapter One
 The House on Kestrel Court
 
 J
 ust hear me out,” Sue urged Ellen and Tanya from across the table in a booth at Panera Bread. The aroma of freshly baked pastries filled the air. “And try to keep an open mind.”
 Ellen sat up in her seat. There was no knowing what crazy idea Sue had cooked up this time. Although it hadn’t even been four months since their visit to La Push, and the ghost of Dan Pullen continued to haunt Ellen’s dreams, she was always up for a new adventure. 
 “What’s this about, Sue?” Tanya tore off the end of her baguette and dipped it into her potato soup. “I thought we were going to plan our holiday trip to Williamsburg.”
 “Well, in a way, that’s what this is.” Sue pushed her dark bangs from her eyes. “I looked up the rental house my mother always stayed in, like I said I would, and I was disappointed to learn that the woman who owned it passed away recently, so the house is no longer available.”
 “That’s no problem.” Ellen sat back in her seat. The news was disappointing. Sue had really talked up the house, including the possibility of a haunting. Ellen had been looking forward to another investigation. “I’m sure there are plenty of places to stay in the area.”
 “There are, there are.” Sue nodded before slurping a spoonful of her cheddar broccoli soup. “But this house was so perfect. It sits on a cul-de-sac in a nice residential area and backs up to the woods. It’s private and far enough away from the busy touristy areas but close enough to make visiting all the places easy. And this house would have been a nice size for the three of us, with three bedrooms, two and a half baths, and 2500 square feet. It really is the perfect getaway vacation rental.”
 “I know you wanted to walk in your mother’s footsteps.” Tanya removed the scrunchie from her blonde ponytail, made the tail tighter, and refastened the scrunchie. “But I’m sure we can find something comparable; don’t you think? If we don’t wait too late to book it?”
 As Ellen took another bite of her Caesar salad, she wondered if that last comment was a jab at her for forgetting to make the reservations for Tanya’s birthday trip to La Push back in May.
 “So, here’s the thing,” Sue began. “The house is for sale at a surprisingly low price, considering what houses are going for today. I can’t imagine why it’s priced so low. So, I was thinking . . . my house at Blackfeet Nation was a great investment as a vacation rental. Maybe Tom and I should do the same thing with this house. The three of us could stay there when we go in December.”
 Ellen’s mouth dropped open. “Really? How exciting.”
 “Why don’t we fly out and take a look at it?” Tanya suggested.
 Sue beamed. “I was going to suggest that very thing. Ellen? You in?”
 Ellen loved looking at properties, imagining their potential, and fixing them up. “The house is haunted, right? Isn’t that what your mother said?”
 “She said a creeper followed her everywhere she went,” Sue clarified. “She never said whether he originated at the house, or if he caught up to her around town. Honestly, though, I wouldn’t mind taking along our gear to investigate.”
 “I would definitely recommend doing that before committing to a purchase,” Tanya advised.
 “Sounds fun to me,” Ellen said enthusiastically. “When do we leave?”
 
 A week later, on a Thursday afternoon in mid-September, after a morning flight from San Antonio with a layover in Charlottesville, Ellen and her friends sat in their rental car in the driveway of the house on Kestrel Court in Williamsburg, Virginia waiting for the realtor to arrive. 
 “I’m excited that we get to try it out for a couple of days,” Ellen said. “I didn’t know such a thing could be arranged.”
 “Apparently, the seller is eager to unload it,” Sue explained.
 “The outside of the home is charming,” Tanya noted from the passenger’s seat.
 Sue cut the engine. “I think so, too. I love the three dormers over the garage and the one over the front door. It gives the house a colonial feel, don’t you think?”
 “Yes, I do.” Ellen leaned forward in the back seat. “I’d change out that light fixture over those garage doors—maybe get one with a black iron finish to contrast with the cream-colored siding. It would