Chapter 9 Ben #5
“I think George is going to be good for business,” Susan replied. “He sits where he can look out the window, which means everyone can see Trinkets now has a dog. We’ve had a lot more foot traffic than usual.”
“Nice to see he’s earning his keep,” Ben joked. “Jenny is okay with him coming to work with me and just reminded me we can’t take him into any of the pet-free units.”
“He gave the side-eye to the items on display that Erik says carry a trace of residual energy. Then he spent about ten minutes growling at the safe in the back room.” Susan raised an eyebrow.
The implication wasn’t lost on Ben. The safe was warded, but like with the haunted window, it was the place for “spookies” that needed to be sent into isolation.
“How about the shop ghosts?” Ben asked. Trinkets had a few resident spirits who didn’t cause trouble or want to move on, so Erik let them stay.
“I think they were checking each other out,” Susan said with a laugh. “We had more cold spots than usual, always near George. He’d perk up, stare at nothing very intently, and then go back to sleep. I guess they decided they could co-exist.”
“They say animals can sense supernatural energy,” Ben replied. “And given his previous owner, he’s probably more sensitized than regular dogs.” He gave Susan a recap of what Jenny had told him about the tarot reader, and she nodded.
“I had friends who stopped in for readings, and they believed she had real talent,” Susan replied.
“Some of them went regularly, or at least whenever they had a hard choice to make. I don’t know whether it’s really something supernatural or just a way to open your mind to possibilities, but it worked for them. ”
Susan finished her sandwich and tossed the wrapper in the trash. “I’ll give Erik a break so you two can talk.”
She went up front, and Erik came to the break room. George wound around his legs, then went to sit under the table by Ben’s feet.
“Everything okay at the office?” Erik grabbed his lunch from the fridge.
“Pretty quiet,” Ben replied. “Getting ready for the festival. Bookings are solid through the holidays, so anything we pick up from the fair will fill in around the edges.”
Erik swallowed a bite of sandwich and washed it down with some water. “Several of the people who stopped in today recognized George from the tarot shop and came in to say how glad they were that he’s found a new home with us.”
“Our dog is famous,” Ben joked. “Maybe he should have an Instagram page.”
Erik shrugged. “That’s probably not a bad idea. As far as we know, George doesn’t come with mobsters on his tail.” Erik’s Treasure Trail podcast talked about antiques and the store, but he avoided posting photos of himself or Ben online for safety’s sake.
“Let’s hope not. Bratva and the Jersey Mob are enough,” Ben replied with a shiver. He sincerely hoped that both groups would steer clear for the foreseeable future.
“He definitely senses spirits and energy,” Erik said.
“That’s what Susan said. Just more confirmation that he’s the right dog for us,” Ben replied, reaching down to scratch George behind the ears.
“It’ll be interesting going for walks, given how many haunted places there are in Cape May,” Erik added.
“Surely Mrs. Thomas walked him around the neighborhoods,” Ben said. “It’s not like he’s new in town. Maybe he and the ghosts have an arrangement.”
“I’m looking forward to taking him with us to the festival,” Erik added in between bites of his sandwich. “He’s good enough on a leash and around people that I think he’ll be fine. And if the crowds bother him, we’ll just come home early.”
“Works for me.”
That evening, Ben and Erik took George for a walk on the beach. Despite the cooler temperatures, a lot of people were out, and it seemed like they all noticed George and waved or came over to greet them. George happily accepted the petting and compliments as his due.
“Let’s see what he makes of Jon and Monty,” Ben said as they approached the lighthouse.
George stopped right before they reached the lighthouse door and froze in place. Ben felt a dip in the temperature and saw Jon talking to George.
The door opened, and Monty stepped out. “I see Jon already found the dog,” he said with a laugh. He joined them and fussed over George, who didn’t seem to mind whether his admirers were dead or alive.
“He belonged to the tarot lady on the boardwalk before she passed,” Ben told Monty. “I think he’s going to fit in just fine.”
“Seems like it,” Monty said. “You wouldn’t believe how many stray ghost animals Jon brings home. I’m not allowed to have a pet because the lighthouse is a historic building, but Jon’s found a way around the rule.”
“Are you ready for the autumn festival?” Erik asked.
“Oh yeah,” Monty replied. “Not my first rodeo, although they change the event every year. I’ve got a couple of extra docents to help with tours, new brochures, and some key chains and snow globes for sale at the ticket counter.
It’s always fun teaching people about Cape May history.
And Jon helped me pick movies for the classic film festival. ”
“Are you doing the ghost stories again?” Ben asked.
Monty grinned. “Sure am. We can’t have a real bonfire on the beach for safety reasons, but I bought a very nice fake set of glowing logs, and I’ll put them in a stone ring and have seats around it.
Then I’ll hold the story hour each evening.
Jon’s got a long memory, and he loves sharing with me. Ghost stories with a real ghost!”
“I’m looking forward to seeing how all the pieces come together for the events,” Erik said. “Everyone’s worked hard to make the festival a success.”
Monty nodded toward where George sat, wagging and inclining his head to be petted by his new invisible friend. “I think George and Jon have hit it off. Stop by anytime!”
When they got home, Erik ordered a pizza. Ben picked a movie on streaming, and after dinner, they settled on the couch with George sprawled between them.
“I didn’t realize how much we were missing a dog until we got one.” Erik ruffled George’s ears.
“Just thinking the same thing,” Ben replied. “And with Mrs. Thomas’s blessing, it really is a match made in heaven.”
“The rain stopped, and the mobsters got caught, just in time,” Ben said as he and Erik strolled through the Awesome Autumn Festival. George trotted alongside, well-behaved on leash despite all the people, unfamiliar noises, and tempting smells.
“I guess we could have told people we were shooting a movie, except for the real bullets and blood.” Erik kept his voice low so he wouldn’t be overheard. Ben elbowed him but laughed anyhow.
Many of the city’s streets had been blocked off to allow for parades and special events like the costume contest and the pumpkin painting display. Along the sidewalks, vendors hawked candied apples, caramel popcorn, bratwurst sandwiches, lobster rolls, and clam chowder.
Banners along the way listed the special events and reminded everyone of the festival’s sponsors, which included Trinkets and Nolan Rental Real Estate.
On one of the many stages, a group in full pirate regalia played a rousing set of sea shanties while a local cosplay group showed off their dancing skills. Tourists raised tankards in salute, and some of the braver souls tried to copy the fast-paced dance steps down in front of the platform.
Ben swayed to the music, bumping shoulders with Erik. The clear blue sky made the violent storms of the past several days seem like a bad dream. George kept a watchful eye on the crowd, but his tail wagged as he walked.
“Ahoy, maties!” a familiar voice called, and they turned to see Alessia.
She and Haley shared a tarot reading and ghost whisperer stand, both dressed like pirate witches.
“Wait, is that George?” She and Haley spotted the pup and came around to the front of the stand to pet him.
“I knew Mrs. Thomas; and I wondered what happened to George when she passed. Looks like he found the perfect home,” Alessia said.
“Ahoy right back atcha.” Ben was pleased to see that their friends had rebounded from the strain of the recent danger. If George picked up on Alessia’s magic or Haley’s ability with ghosts, it certainly didn’t seem to bother him.
“Please don’t read my fortune,” Erik joked, but Ben picked up an edge of truth in his voice. “I don’t think I’m up to any more adventures for a while.”
Alessia’s face took on a dreamy look that Ben knew meant she was tapping into her gift. “Nothing to worry about in the immediate future,” she told them. “You deserve a break.”
“We all do,” Erik agreed, relieved.
“Ain’t that the truth.” Chief Hendricks had come up behind them, with Susan a step behind. “I could go for a nice, quiet fall and winter, if it’s all the same to you.”
Susan gave him a look, but Hendricks didn’t pay attention. George wagged frantically when he spotted Susan, who immediately reached down to scratch his ears.
“We’ll do our best.” Ben fervently hoped they could keep that promise, although the reality was out of their control.
“Have you tried the candied nuts?” Susan held up a colorful paper sleeve. “They’re absolutely addictive.”
“The huge soft pretzels are my weakness,” Ben admitted. “Especially with the spicy mustard.”
“I’m partial to the fried clams,” Erik added. “Doesn’t get much fresher than the ones here.”
“How did your tours go?” Susan asked.
“We sold out two of the architecture walks,” Ben replied.
“People who come to Cape May love the historic houses, but they don’t always know what to call the different styles or what defines them.
And I’m pretty sure that quite a few of the folks on my walks went straight to the houses that are offering tours. ”
“The museum definitely leans into the fall décor,” Erik said. “They had everything decorated and even offered punch and candy corn afterward. I was grateful that none of the paintings were haunted, and we didn’t have any dangerous stained glass.”