Read Online Deadly Decision by Regina Smeltzer - Free Book Online Page B

could drag a tour of the house out forever. Why was she going through it so quickly today? I had to slow her down before she offered to show Barbara the attic. Later tonight, once Barbara had contacted Jimmy, then we could be open with the kids. Maybe then, they would accept the value of what a psychic could do. After all, Barbara’s minister had just said on Sunday that we need to ‘open our minds to the natural world beyond us.’
    “The bedrooms are lovely, Trina. You have a real gift for decorating. Was interior design your major in college?”
    “No, actually it was elementary education. I worked a couple of years after graduation, and then Ted and I came down here, I fell in love with this house, and the rest is history.”
    “What do you do, Barbara?” Ted asked.
    “Wow, look at the time,” I said, pointing to my watch. “If we’re going to beat the crowds to the restaurant for supper, we had better get going.”
    “It’s only three thirty,” Ted stated.
    “Hate to wait in line.”
    “It’s really doesn’t get that busy, Dad.”
    “I’ll show Barbara to her room. You two go get ready.” I grabbed Barbara by the hand and pulled her down the hallway, leaving Trina and Ted gaping after us.
     
    
     
    After dinner, I waited until Ted and Trina had settled on the sofa and got caught up in a movie before I mentioned that Barbara had not finished the tour. Even the huge bowl of popcorn Ted had made did not dull my anticipation of what Barbara might find. I had waited as long as I could wait.
    Why don’t you stay here, and I’ll show her around,” I suggested, shoving a fistful of the popped kernels into my mouth.
    Trina glanced my way, then back to the television. “Go ahead, Dad. I think we got to most of it.” Trina’s face looked haggard. Tonight her fatigue worked to my advantage.
    I led Barbara up the ladies’ stairway, and snatched a blanket for her to sit on from the shelf in my bedroom. I hoped it wouldn’t take too long to clear her mind so her saint could do his thing. It would be impossible for me to clear mine.
    My heart rate accelerated as I led Barbara up the attic steps. The wait was almost over; I was going to find out why Jimmy had contacted me!
    “It looks exactly like you described it,” Barbara murmured as she glanced around.
    “Do you think Jimmy will show up?”
    “Why wouldn’t he?”
    “You’re a psychic, and I was alone last time…”
    “Ted and Trina were with you.”
    “I know but that was different.” And it was different. There was a comfort in sharing the experience. I didn’t know if Jimmy would show himself visually as before, or speak through Barbara. It really didn’t matter; we just needed to make contact.
    As I spread the blanket in the middle of the floor, the air grew colder. A strangling, garbled sound came from behind me.
    I turned around.
    Barbara’s head was lifted toward the ceiling and tilted at an awkward angle. Standing stiff, her eyes were closed. The garbled sounds were coming from Barbara’s throat. Her beautiful face was distorted so markedly that it was hard to recognize her.
    “Barbara?”
    I reached for her but stopped as macabre sounds poured out of her mouth.
    The icy air thickened. I could barely breathe. The sounds changed into wailing, hissing, and groaning. I covered my ears, but the reverberations penetrated through my hands.
    Barbara’s head snapped down. Her eyes opened. The light blue orbs that had entranced me now burned with an inner blackness.
    Something horrible was using Barbara’s body. I stood frozen to the spot, horror seeping through me.
    She started to laugh, a manic, wild laugh, not the gentle girl-like laugh of the woman I knew.
    I shivered as all life drained from me. I knew I should shake her, plead with the entity inside her to leave, do something. But I was afraid—afraid that whatever was in her might find a way into me.
    God help me!
    Barbara fell to the floor in an unconscious