Chapter Eleven
Dusting the dirt from her knees Jillian then walked back to the house. She put the garden gloves and the little shovel away on the porch then she opened the back door.
Dino sat at the kitchen table, drinking coffee.
As she came in through the door, he looked up at her.
“Good morning.” Jillian smiled.
Dino nodded but didn’t say anything.
Jillian cocked her head at his rudeness. “I take it you didn’t sleep too well last night.”
Dino grunted but still didn’t say anything.
“Ok...” Jillian ignored him and went to the sink to wash her hands. She poured herself a cup of coffee and sat down at the table with him.
Neither of them said a word for a few minutes, then Dino broke the silence by asking, “So what’s on the agenda for today?”
Jillian set her cup down on the table. “Excuse me?”
Dino shook his head. “What is the next step?”
“I don’t know really. I’m new to this stuff too.”
“I’m worried about Matthew,” Dino commented. “Ever since we arrived yesterday, he’s been upset. I came with him to try to make sure that wouldn’t happen. I’m like... watching out for him. Then ever since we got here, he’s been getting more and more upset. This cruse thing is nuts.”
“Maybe the curse is real?” Jillian suggested.
Dino shook his head. “Life is what you make it. I don’t believe in this shit. Of a curse controlling things. Hell, I grew up on the streets pretty much so I know life is cruel but it is up to the person to change that.”
“What do you mean you grew up on the streets? Your grandpa didn’t take you in at least?”
Dino leaned back in his chair and informed her, “I’ve only known him for a year.”
“What?” Jillian asked in confusion.
“Look, it went like this...My mom was alone and she gave birth to me and she died. My dad never knew she had his baby. But that was a good thing, because he wasn’t father material in any way.
So, I was in foster homes and then I ran from that.
Believe me the streets were better than those hellholes.
A woman then sort of took me under her wing as she helped....
Well, people like me. Ones without a place and no family. ”
“So how did you find your grandfather?” Jillian asked.
“I discovered my other grandfather. My dad’s dad.
He had connections and he found Matthew for me.
My grandma was gone already, having died pretty young.
My mom hated Matthew and blamed him for her death.
Matthew said it was because he never loved Rosanna’s mom like he loved Tilly and his wife never got over that fact.
So, Rosanna changed her name to McGraw instead and made a new life for herself.
One time I asked him about why he never re-married after his wife died and he told me he lost the only woman he would ever love a long time ago.
He also said he was cursed and he wouldn’t wish that on another woman. ”
“So, what makes you think the curse isn’t real?” Jillian asked.
“Curses don’t exist,” Dino insisted. “Matthew may have loved and lost but he’s not cursed.”
“How do you explain the supernatural things that have happened since you got here yesterday?”
Dino shrugged. “I don’t know, maybe they’ve all been due to something else, not a stupid ass curse.”
“Why is it so hard for you to believe in this sort of thing?” Jillian wanted to know.
“Why is it so easy for you to believe in it?”
Jillian thought about it for a moment and then decided to tell him what she had experienced since she got here, “As soon as I arrived here, I felt it. This dark thing looming over this place and someone watching my every move. Then last night...” She paused and sighed.
“What about it?” he asked.
“In my room...” Her voice fell away as she felt fear again. She pictured the words written in that bright red.
Reaching over, Dino put his hand on hers and asked her softly, “What happened?”
She raised her gaze and stared at him. “You won’t believe me.”
He shrugged. “I know I’ve been like an asshole about all of this, but you can talk to me.”
She bit at her lip and then took a sip of her coffee.
“Does it have to do with what’s going on around here?” Dino wanted to know.
“Yes, someone wrote on the dresser mirror in the room I’m staying in.”
“Wrote?” He looked perplexed.
“In red lipstick.” She nodded.
“What did they write?” he asked as he leaned forward.
“A threat. They left a threat.”
“Like what? They will jump scare us by appearing in a white sheet and yelling BOO?” Dino scoffed and shook his head.
Jillian stood from her chair and glared at him.
“See? You said you would listen then you give me crap about it.” She turned and stomped to the counter.
She felt angry at his attitude. Turning around, she crossed arms over her chest and told him, “The three people that died that night had unfinished business. Someone or something stopped them from leaving here and they all need to know what the truth is. It sounds like Tilly was held against her will, Matthew couldn’t get back to her and Claire was trapped in the fire.
I think if we find the truth, everyone will be able to move on, even your grandpa. ”
“Even if you don’t believe in the supernatural you have to know she’s right,” Matthew spoke from behind them.
Dino and Jillian turned to see him standing in the doorway.
“Grandpa...” Dino began.
Matthew shook his head. “I know, I know. You don’t believe me but what Jillian said has some merit. Something happened here that shouldn’t have happened. The girls and I are caught up in something that can’t be explained but it’s very real.” He came over and sat down at the table.
Jillian got him a cup of coffee and brought it over as she looked at Matthew. “Speaking of Tilly, she came to me in a dream last night.”
Dino turned to ask her, “Was that before or after the threat?” He stared at her with those gold flecked hazel eyes.
Matthew leaned toward her. “I know... I can feel her. She’s very close and she’s calling for me. She knows I’m here.” He paused, then asked, “What threat?”
Jillian shrugged and stared at Dino as she quipped, “One supernatural thing at a time, ok?” She then looked over at Matthew. “She told me that you need to find her bones before the fire comes back.”
“Where do we begin?” Matthew asked.
Jillian walked over to where Matthew sat and knelt down in front of him, then she gently put her hand on his knee. “Can you think of any place in the Inn where a person could be hiding? A place where no one else could hear you call out if you somehow got trapped in there?”
Matthew started to shake his head but stopped like he had to think for a moment. “There was one place. I think Tilly called it the root cellar but I never knew where it was.”
“What was this cellar used for? Maybe that would give us a clue where to look,” Jillian told him.
Matthew thought about it and then nodded.
“I believe Tilly said that at one time the Inn had been part of an old plantation. After it was destroyed in the Civil War, Thomas, their great grandad, rebuilt the main house and made it into a home for his family. Thomas grew up here and raised his children here. The Belmar’s have owned this land since like forever.
She said the old root cellar was turned into a wine cellar by her father but she never took me there.
She always told me no one had been down there since their own father died.
Although before he passed away he moved most of the wine upstairs.
So the girls had never been in the cellar. ”
Jillian shrugged. “At least we know where to start looking.”
“And where is that?” Dino asked.
“Right here in the kitchen. That’s where the women would have wanted their root cellars.
They stored food there, like they used to can food in Mason jars.
Keep it in a cool place with no real light for preservation.
Then they would store other stuff too, so it would have to be close to the kitchen.
I read up on that stuff while researching this old house.
” Jillian smiled. When she looked at Dino and still saw that doubtful expression she recognized now, she said, “Oh come on, this could be an adventure if you would just chill out some.”
“Oh, I’m chill alright, but I hate things that are a waste of time,” Dino muttered.
“We have to try at least,” Jillian told him. “Why do you think Matthew wanted to come here?” she queried though she knew the answer already and so did Dino. She just felt the need to push this man but she didn’t understand why she felt that way.
Dino just shook his head at her.