Page 403 of Evil Hearts

“What else?” Suzie asks, wide-eyed and leaning forward on the edge of her seat.Ever since she found out about me, she’s been obsessed with all things spooky.

“Another couple did the same thing. Except they were much older. The article I read said that they moved in, and after two days the husband had a heart attack and was rushed to the hospital where he passed away shortly after.”

Suzie gasps. “That’s so sad. Always two days?”

I nod. “It seems that whatever is in there, it waits two days to rear its ugly head.”

“Did anything happen to the first couple?”

Shaking my head, I turn back to the screen. “Well, the husband fell and suffered a pretty serious injury. Other than that, they both had minor cuts, or weird scratches and such. But they weren’t sure if those were just coincidences or not. Both articles say the couples saw, heard, and felt strange things. Though they didn’t go into much detail in the interviews. They were too spooked.”

“That’s wild! Maybe whatever it is just doesn’t like men. Who owned the house before the Alumni peeps?”

Shrugging, I turn back to her. “That’s where the trail goes cold. The records are sealed. I know the house was built in the late 1800’s, but that’s it.”

“Can we go see it?” Suzie beams at me.

“Do youwantto die?” I ask with an incredulous laugh.

“Two days.” She grins. “It takes two days for them to even show themselves, and we’re females. Unless all thatisjust a coincidence…”

“There’s no such thing as a coincidence.” I shut the computer off and stand with a stretch.

“So?”

I turn to her. “We can check it out.”

“Yes!” She jumps up from her seat with a bounce and hugs me. “I’m so excited!”

Grinning, I fold my arms around her and give her a brief squeeze before pulling away. “But, if there’s anything even remotely off about the place, I’m out. Got it? There are some things I just can’t help…”

She nods quickly. “Got it.”

“Bedtime. We’re leaving early.”

She nods and groans. “Uhhh! Why did I have to agree to move in with my boyfriend! I would so move in with you instead if you got this place,” she says as she climbs into bed.

Rolling my eyes, I cross the room and fall into my own bed. My hair, still a bit damp from the shower, falls into my face and I blow it away from my mouth. “I’d charge you full rent.”

A pillow soars from across the room and hits me squarely in the chest. “No you wouldn’t” She chuckles. “You love me. You’d let me stay for free access to my Netflix.”

I can’t help but snort. “Girl, I pay for your Netflix… and also, not it!” I grin, initiating the game we play sometimes before bed, to make the other one turn out the light.

“Fine…” She sighs as she gets back up, turns out the light and climbs back into her bed. “But is that what you’re planning to do with the place if you get it? Turn it into a B&B?”

I shake my head and turn onto my left side, facing Suzie, even though I can’t see her. “I don’t know for sure yet. But you know how I love helping people. Maybe it could be a safe place forothers to live until they get back on their feet? One side for girls and the other for guys. Or hell, I could just rent it out and stay in one of the upper rooms.” Suzie yawns, and it forces a yawn out of me.

It doesn’t take long for silence to fall between us, and I lay there daydreaming about all the possibilities of the house. I wonder if there are actually ghosts, and then quietly laugh at myself.There are always ghosts.

The alarm on my phone startles us awake. Suzie groans at me, but then quickly pops up and rushes around the room to get ready.

“Gonna see a ghost today, gonna see a ghost today!” she chants, and I can’t help but laugh at her excitement.

“Two days, remember?” I say, smirking.

“You never know!” She grins, shoving her phone into her pocket before collecting the portable charger from her nightstand. “Just in case the phone needs a boost while I record.”

“Thinking of getting into ghost hunting are you?” I ask, rolling my eyes. “So many people get seriously injured or killed doing that stuff. And half the time they never even catch any real evidence.”

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