Chapter Eight
As they gathered around the large dining-room table to call up the dead, Sophie bowed her head in prayer. “To our highest power, we ask for your protection from benevolent spirits and we ask St. Michael the Archangel to watch over us and protect us from all malevolent spirits who might want to inflict harm upon us. We are here to summon the spirit of Theodore Dabney.”
Sophie sat at the head of the table, with Ida on her left side and Toots on her right. Bernice was seated beside Ida, and Robert sat next to Bernice. Mavis and Wade sat opposite Robert and Bernice. Phil and Goebel sat at the end of the table opposite Sophie.
Mavis and Toots had set the table up as they’d done numerous times before. The rocks glass was in the center, and at each corner a candle burned, their flames dancing despite the lack of any air circulating.
No one spoke a word as Sophie continued her speech to the dead. “We’re here to make contact with the other side. If there is a presence in this room who wishes to communicate with any of us, slide the glass in the center of the table to my right for yes. Slide the glass to the left for no. I ask you to enter this space peacefully, with no evil intent.”
All eyes focused on the glass in the center of the table.
The glass remained in its place.
Sophie took a deep breath and tried again. “Theodore Dabney, make yourself known.”
They waited for a sign, anything to let them know there was a presence in the room.
Suddenly, the candles were snuffed out, leaving the room in total darkness.
“Theodore Dabney, are you with us?”
An evil laughter spewed from out of nowhere.
“If you are Theodore Dabney, move the glass in the center of the table.”
Again, they focused on the glass, even though the only light in the room was the fiery red wicks that continued to glow. The glass flew across the table, stopping in front of Ida.
“What do you want? Tell me so that I may help you,” Sophie said in her séance voice.
The glass fell off the table, landing in Ida’s lap. With shaking hands, Ida placed the glass back in the center of the table. Sophie nodded. “Are you with us, Theodore? Move the glass again.”
For the second time the glass moved, but this time it didn’t fall off the table. Sophie took another deep breath.
Finally, she made contact. “Was your death unexpected? Move the glass to the right if your answer is yes and to the left if your answer is no.”
They watched the glass as it slowly moved to the left.
No one had expected this.
Sophie closed her eyes, focusing on the entity in the room. “Did a member of your family die in a tragic manner?”
They watched the glass move to the left once again.
“Then what do you want?” Sophie asked, knowing she would not get an answer in such a way that she and the others would understand. She needed questions that could yield concrete yes and no answers. There was no in-between.
“I want us to join hands, so lay your right hand over the left hand of the person seated next to you. This is called forming a chain. The spiritual energy of each of us, combined, should produce a higher level of energy.” She hoped the combined force of the energy generated was powerful enough to evoke another response. Once they’d formed the chain, Sophie began to pray.
“St. Michael the Archangel, we ask you to guide this spirit away from its earthly bonds so that he or she may find the light, and in finding the light, may have eternal peace.”
A few minutes passed, and when nothing happened, Sophie tried again. “Are you willing to accept my help? Please move the glass to the right if your answer is yes and to the left if your answer is no.” Sophie didn’t have too many more tricks left in her bag. Either the spirit of Theodore Dabney would make its wishes known, if it was the spirit of Theodore Dabney—and she was positive that it was—or it wouldn’t. He needed to give her some kind of clue, anything that would give him that final push to cross over.
Slowly the glass moved to the left.
Defeated, Sophie spoke in her normal voice. “This son of a bitch is playing with us! Mavis, get the lights.”
Mavis hurried across the room and switched on the lights. “That’s better.”
“What’s wrong, Soph?” Toots asked, her voice laced with concern. “This isn’t like you.”
Bernice and Robert stood up at the same time. “We’re out of here. This is bull.” Robert’s lack of belief was justified. He took Bernice’s hand, and together they made their exit.
Sophie shook her head. “I don’t know why I’m having such a difficult time with this spirit, but what I do know is that I am not going to let it bully me, or frighten Ida any more than it has already. Are you good, Ida? Can you stand on your own?”
All eyes focused on Ida. “Of course I’m good, and yes, I can stand on my own. I’m not that old.”
This was the Ida they all loved and sometimes hated.
“I’ll go make a pot of coffee. Phil, want to help me?” Toots asked.
“I thought you’d never ask. Sophie, let’s call it a night,” Phil said.
Wade hadn’t said the first word until coffee was mentioned. “I could use a cup, maybe with a splash of whiskey added to it.”
“I’ll join you in a minute. I just want to clean up in here.” Mavis made sure the wicks were completely snuffed out, then she took the rocks glass and placed it on the hutch.
“I just don’t get it. When we were in California, you could whip up a ghost on command, and now this. Any ideas?” Toots asked Sophie.
“None. But maybe . . . no, forget it,” Sophie said.
Goebel had not uttered a word during the séance until now. “I probably don’t want to know what’s going on in that beautiful head of yours, but you’re going to tell me anyway, right?”
Sophie nodded.
“Forget what? I hate it when you do that.” Toots stood up and stretched. It was way past their bedtime, but sleep would come later.
“It’s something Ted Dabney said at dinner tonight. I don’t know if it’s worth pursuing or not.”
“If it will help me, then I agree with Toots. I want to know what it is,” Ida declared. “I can’t live like this.”
“I found a silver baby bracelet in a trunk stored in the attic. I cleaned it enough to read the inscription. It had a name and a date. Margaret Florence Dabney, 1923. I showed this to Ted, and he said it belonged to his Aunt Maggie.” Sophie paused. “She’s living in an assisted-living facility in Charlotte. And she’s blind.”
“I get it now,” Goebel said.
“And?” Toots coaxed.
“I’m thinking.”
“Spit it out, Sophie. We don’t have all night.” Toots had had enough of the netherworld for one night.
“I think we need to make a trip to Charlotte, as soon as possible. Toots, do you still have that private jet on standby?”
“Of course. Do you want me to call Joe? He’s used to being called out in the middle of the night. All those celebrities he flies around the world. It’s your call. Yay or nay,” Toots said, a new surge of excitement building in her. She needed to get out of Dodge. A trip to Charlotte was the perfect opportunity. Since they’d returned to Charleston, Toots hadn’t been out of the state. Though she hated the thought of leaving Amy and Jonathan behind, she wouldn’t be gone long enough for them to miss her. “Well?”
“Yes, make the call. I’m dying for a cigarette. I have to go smoke now; I can’t wait another minute,” Sophie said. “Mavis, thanks for taking care of all of this.” She gestured toward the table. “The candles and all.”
“I’m more than happy to help out. I miss the four of us. We haven’t been alone in quite a while.”
“Then let’s go to Charlotte. Just the four of us,” Sophie suggested. “It’s not like we can’t just pick up and leave. We’re big girls.” For a minute, Sophie forgot Goebel was still in the room with them. She turned to him. “You wouldn’t mind if I go to Charlotte?”
“If you’re sure, then go ahead. Someone needs to get that disaster in the kitchen taken care of.”
Mavis said, “I think that’s a wonderful idea! Wade can run the funeral parlor without me. Of course, he doesn’t do the makeup like I do, but no one really cares when it comes right down to the nitty-gritty. As Toots always says, ‘dead is dead.’”
“I don’t recall ever saying that.”
“Maybe it was Sophie. It doesn’t matter. Let’s go tell the guys,” Mavis said.
“Sounds like a plan,” Sophie announced. “I need a cigarette, big-time. Goebel, are you sure you’re okay with me leaving you behind?” She’d never spent a night away from him since they’d married.
“I’m okay with it, Soph. Do whatever you need to do. Ida is counting on you.” He placed a hand on her waist and gently guided her out of the room.
With Ida between them, Toots and Mavis followed close behind.