Read Online Madison Johns - Agnes Barton Paranormal 02 - Ghostly Hijinks by Madison Johns - Free Book Online

trailing its way down my face. “How sad.”
    Redd handed me a napkin. “I should have kept that story to myself.”
    “No, it’s fine. It just breaks my heart to know a baby would be discarded so callously,” I blubbered.
    “What happened to Jessup Goldberg?”
    “He died of pneumonia in 1878.”
    “Karma,” Eleanor said.
    “Might just be, dear lady,” Redd agreed.
    “Who had the mines dug under the hotel?”
    “Jessup did in hopes of finding gold. With the cost of building the hotel, he fell on hard times and the hotel closed.”
    “Oh, really? And during the gold rush years, too?”
    “Seems like he wasn’t able to pay off his loans.”
    “So what happened after that? Who reopened the hotel?” I asked.
    “You might want to ask Francine Pullman. She’s the owner of the hotel now. She knows a whole lot more about the history of this place than I do. She also might be able to tell you if the Elizabeth story is true or not.”
    “Seems like you know quite a bit of the history yourself.”
    “Folks around here talk, but I’m not originally from Silver.”
     “Oh, no? What’s your story?”
    “Don’t really have one.”
    “Nonsense, everyone has a story,” Eleanor said.
    “Expect they might, but my life isn’t all that interesting to be considered a story. I used to live in Phoenix, but I was looking for a change.”
    “This sure is a change from a big city,” I agreed. “What business were you in?”
    “I’ve been working at hotels as a maintenance man for twelve years. That’s why Francine offered me the job here at the Goldberg, and to be honest, this place was sure in need of repairs. But these days I pitch in wherever I’m needed.”
    “So Francine bought the hotel from Jessup?” I asked.
    “Like I said before, you’d have to ask her that question because I’m not all that sure. I just know she hired me and I’ve been working here since 1984. I was thirty at the time,” he laughed.
    “I see. And now you’re how old?” Eleanor asked.
    “Now, Eleanor. No need to be rude.”
    “I wasn’t being rude. I was just wondering and doing the math. He must have begun working at a hotel at the age of eighteen and came here at age thirty, so that only makes you sixty?”
    “Yup,” he rubbed a hand over his head. “The harsh climate of Nevada sure has taken a toll on me and made me look way beyond my years.”
    “I’m sure Eleanor didn’t mean that. Did you?”
    Eleanor’s eyes widened. “No! I was just trying to figure out how many times this hotel really exchanged hands. I also wonder why the hotel would have been opened back in 1984.”
    “When you meet Francine, you’ll know. See, most folks do things for the money, but that’s not how I see the owner. She’s a remarkable woman. Be sure to head out to her ranch when the storm lets up. It will be worth your trip.”
    I smiled kindly. “Thanks again, Redd.”
    Redd smiled. “You can ask me anything. Lois has gone home for the day.”
    “You mean she doesn’t stay here?”
    “Oh, no. She’s a little skittish, if you want to know. It seems she’s afraid of the ghosts that lurk in the hotel.”
    “Ghosts, eh?” Andrew asked. “That’s all you need to do—fill Agnes’s head full of more ghost stories—she already leans that way as it is.”
    “The way I see it is that some folks are either skeptics or believers. I’m sure Agnes has a good reason to believe that ghosts are real.”
    “I do. Actually, one is attached to me. Her name is Caroline.”
    “Well, then. Hello, Caroline, wherever you are,” Redd said as he glanced around as if she’d appear at any moment.
    Caroline giggled with a hand over her mouth.
    “Please, don’t encourage her,” Andrew said, obviously irritated.
    “Don’t pay any attention to him, Redd, but in all honesty, I had a few more questions for you.”
    “Shoot.”
    Guns were drawn, and I smiled now that I knew it was all a joke.
    “Actually, I had heard about a few missing