Chapter 33
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
Dr. Lawson steps from behind the camera, which is apparently on a tripod, and joins the other two.
They’re in the dining room, bright sunlight streaming through gently waving curtains.
The remains of lunch sit in front of them: a jar of Wish-Bone Salad Dressing, scattered forks and knives, plates with bits of salad and sandwiches left on them.
Dr. Lawson’s hair is cut short and feathered, and she wears a plaid blouse and high-waisted jeans. She takes her seat beside Robin and across from Montague.
“Why are we filming us just sitting around talking again?” Robin asks, looking straight into the camera. She seems paler than before, and dark circles shadow her eyes.
Montague smiles and takes her hand. “We need to document everything so the whole world will know what a brilliant medium you are. And so Ruthie’s work is finally taken seriously by the university.” She turns to Lawson. “Are the Vanderwalls safely off the island?”
Lawson nods. “Yes. I’m sure they’ll be glad for a quiet night’s sleep. And the fact you booked them in the best hotel on Hatteras will help them feel better about…all this. I hope.”
“They might not be happy now, but they’ll be singing our praises once we’ve cleared the house.
” Montague continues to smile confidently.
“And I’ve spoken with Daddy. As a further apology for selling them a haunted island, he’s going to have some work done on the ocean-side dunes to help stabilize them. Free of charge.”
Robin gives her an odd look but remains silent.
“I’m sure they’ll appreciate it,” Lawson says. “Okay, let’s talk about where we are now. We have two ghosts—Seth and Gloria Ullman.” She turns to direct her words at the camera. “Mr. Ullman is angry about his house being remodeled by a bunch of strangers, and Gloria is a prankster.”
“She isn’t, though.” Robin glances at Lawson. “Or that isn’t all she is. She’s escalated from hiding tools to throwing things at the adults.”
“Don’t forget lying about buried treasure,” Montague says with an exaggerated eyeroll.
“I’d file that under ‘prank,’” Lawson says.
“That’s because you weren’t the one traipsing around in the dark last night, getting sand in your shoes.”
Robin looks from one of them to the other. “I want to call Joe.”
“Can you say his full name for the record?” Lawson asks.
“Joe Pendergraft.” Robin’s eyes seem almost haunted as she focuses on the camera again. “He’s the medium who trained me.” She looks back to Lawson. “He knows a lot more. If we bring him in—”
“You need to have more confidence in yourself,” Montague cuts in. “Joe is a fine man, a fine medium, but we don’t need him. This is your chance—our chance—to shine.”
“I suppose…” Robin says, but she doesn’t sound certain at all.
Lawson frowns. “If you aren’t sure, maybe we should call him.”
“That isn’t why we came here.” Montague squeezes Robin’s fingers with one hand, then leans across the table and grasps Lawson’s with her other. “The three of us can do anything. Anything. I want you to believe in us as much as I do.”
“I do,” Lawson protests. “And…you’re right.” She takes Robin’s other hand, completing the circle. “You can do this, Robin.”
Robin looks first to Lawson, then to Montague. Something inside her seems to soften, and a tiny smile forms on her lips. “You’re right. We’ll cleanse the past and make this a safe place for the Vanderwalls to have a future.”
Montague lifts Robin’s hand to her lips. “There’s my girl. What should we do next?”
“A seance, I think. Your ancestor knew Ullman, so maybe you can get him to listen to you and cross over.”
“And Gloria?”
Robin’s smile wilts. “I’ll give her another chance to leave on her own. If she refuses, we’ll have to try to force her across. I don’t want to, but…”
“But she deserves peace, even if she doesn’t know it,” Montague supplies. “Seance tonight, then?”
Robin nods. “Seance tonight.”
“Then we’d better get ready.” Lawson stands up and approaches the camera to shut it off. Just before she reaches it, Robin makes eye contact with it again.
She looks afraid.