Page 6 of Halloween Haunting
Grace rose to her feet and stretched out her back. “Everyone seems to call it the Lantern House, but I’m not –”
“The Lantern House?” Caroline’s long arms flailed out before landing on Grace’s shoulders, her long nails acting like gripping talons. “I can hardly believe it!”
“W-Why?”
“Because we’ll beneighbors,silly!” She released an excited squeal before capturing Grace in a warm, familiar hug. When she pulled back, Caroline seemed to be bursting at the seams, hardly capable of containing her joy. “It’s been so long since someone my age was living right next to me! What a lucky girlyou are, getting a house so close to the center of town! Someone upstairs is really looking out for you, aren’t they?”
“I guess so.”
“There’s no guessing about it. You bought yourself a beautiful house, in a great area, with me as your neighbor. That’s lucky if I’ve ever seen it! Just wait until the town hears you bought the Lantern House!”
Grace’s mouth opened and closed a few times before she was able to speak again. “Why does everyone call it the Lantern House?”
Caroline blinked a few times. “Hm?”
“The Lantern House,” Grace repeated. “It must be called that for a reason.”
The woman’s arms pulled away as a chill curled through the air. Caroline wrapped her long arms around herself in a tight hug, the darkening sky only growing closer and closer. Though she was quick to keep a smile on her face, something else lingered in her eyes, something that she refused to let Grace see.
“It’s been around for a long time,” Caroline murmured. “Since the founding of Holiday Hollow, even. After it was first built, a young couple lived in it. The wife…well, as the story goes, the wife would leave a lantern in the window to help guide her husband home at night after hunting.”
Grace nodded and leaned closer. “A lantern?”
“Yes…a….a lantern that –”
Police sirens shrieked across the street once as blue lights drew near. A deputy’s truck pulled up behind Grace’s convertible, the colors glaring against her baby blue paint. Fear struck her heart at the sudden appearance – not that she had a reason to be panicked in the company of police, but something about Holiday Hollow kept her on edge, on the very edge of her seat, on the tippest of her toes. An older gentleman stepped out the passenger side, dressed in an old town’s deputy uniform. Heremoved his tattered hat as he approached, already eyeing them smugly.
Caroline straightened and put her hands on her hips. “Well if it isn’t my verylatebrother.” She gestured toward the approaching man. “Grace Baker, this is Jack Thompson, Holiday Hollow’s Chief Deputy. Though they might need to elect another candidate, as this one can’t seem to keep time.”
“Did I not say I was on the way?” he grumbled as he reached for Grace’s hand. “Pleasure to meet you. I heard there was a new owner of the Lantern House. Won’t say I expected a girl like you.”
Caroline smacked her brother’s shoulder without warning. “Manners, please!”
“It’s alright,” Grace interjected, the corner of her lip already tugging into a smile. “I think he’s worried I might take his day job.”
Jack raised a burly brow and huffed. “And why would that be?”
“I already did this for you, didn’t I?”
The Deputy remained tight lipped for a split second, his bright blue eyes snapping over to meet his sister’s similar expression. After a moment or two he let out a barking laugh, pulling one out of Grace too.
Out from their truck, the driver’s seat swung open with a loud clap. Standing on the step-bar of the vehicle, the already tall man gained a few more feet as he caught Grace’s attention. The last remaining shreds of light that managed to peak through the growing storm illuminated the man’s silhouette. Grace’s eyes narrowed as he jumped down and slowly made his approach, one hand firmly gripping his wide belt. A Sheriff's Deputy badge rested over his chest, right where his heart was.
Caroline let out a sharp whistle. “Looking mighty sharp, Bryant.”
“Afternoon.” His voice was as rugged as he appeared, coarse and from the back of his throat. Emerald green eyes snapped around the company till they landed on Grace, making her jump without meaning to. The Deputy eyed her in a way that would’ve been scandalous decades ago, the corner of his lip tugging into a tense frown Grace was incapable of understanding.
“May I introduce our town’sbeautifulnewcomer, Grace Baker?” Caroline nudged Grace forward with her pointy elbow, till they were only a few feet away from each other. “This is Bryant Paulsen, Grace. The town’s Sheriff Deputy.” Her eyes twinkled as she glanced toward him again. “She’s taking up residence at the Lantern House. Isn’t that swell?”
Bryant looked away sharply as he cleared his throat. “That’s fine.”
“It’s n-nice to meet you.” Grace reached forward slowly, not at all expecting the standoffish man to shake her hand. He wasn’t at all what she was expecting, not after the other two were showing her the usual small town charm. The man in front of her was incredibly attractive, in a way that made Grace blush in a way she hadn’t in a very long time. He towered over her without meaning to, as she was sure he did on a daily basis. It allowed him to commandeer an audience simply, effortlessly, with a charm he never meant to have.
Bryant took her hand and the touch sent a jolt through her.
She raised her head, peering up at the silent man, who was making it very clear that he didnotwant to look her in the eye.
“I –uhm,” Grace began as she pulled back, taking a long step away from him. “I should get going before this storm rolls in.”
