Carridelle – Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Fifteen: Something about Cowboys

Carrie woke up frustrated the next day. She was running out of leads and running into more specters. As in her life there were so many questions left unanswered. She was certain that the man she saw last night, the one in the window was none other then Stephen Murray 2nd and Stephen Murray 3rd had left the message in the room upstairs. What doomed these haunted and tortured souls to stay twixt this world and the next? It wasn’t just one of them, this was an entire family, even down to the poor baby. Perhaps Susannah would give her another clue sometime soon.

Carrie answered the door that afternoon and was totally surprised when she saw a florist on the other side with three vases of long-stemmed roses. They were a beautiful pastel rainbow of colors, peaches, yellows, creams, oranges, and reds. It was a sensual treat, decadent and aromatic. She graciously accepted them, and the card form the deliveryman and having tipped him well, she brought the flowers in and set them about the sitting room. One vase sat on the mantel of the fireplace, another on the upright piano and the third she put on the center of the table closest to her. Everywhere she looked she could see this romantic gesture and her heart skipped a beat. Anxiously she opened the card, but the words inside gave no clue to the sender. It read only, “Not quite as beautiful as you.” She flipped the card from back to front and over again looking for another hint from her admirer but there was none to be found.

Carrie decided that if she could get her mind off her love life, today would be the day that she would work on her book. And much to her credit she started out to do just that. She sat down at the dining table with her laptop open, her thesaurus by her side and a pot of coffee brewing. And she was just about to type the very first word when the doorbell rang again. Only this time the deliveryman happened to be none other then Charlie Murray. Caught off guard, Carrie subconsciously pushed up the sleeves of her old sweatshirt and pushed a stubborn lock of hair behind her ear.

 “Are you going to invite me in? It took me an hour of circling the neighborhood to get up the courage to walk into this house you know.”

“Of course, come in,” she said and bit her lip, an old habit of nervous anxiety. Being in public with this man was one thing but looking into those steel blue eyes in a private setting scared her more then the specters that haunted the house.

“I won’t stay long,” he said barely meandering his way past the threshold. Carrie watched him take in his surroundings as he nervously ran his hand over the back of his neck where the hair was standing straight up.

“I came to bring you this.” Charlie said and he handed her the family Bible. “I did a little digging last night through some old boxes my mother gave me. This was about all I could find.”

Carrie ran her hand over the much-treasured family heirloom and wondered if it held any key to her puzzle. She took it over to the piano and set it carefully down upon the top. It was then that Charlie noticed the roses. His hands balled up in fists and had she been looking at him she would have noticed that something sparked in his eyes. Charlie was having a hard time identifying the feeling himself. Was it anger? Jealousy? He wasn’t sure but he did know at that moment that some irrational fear of a building was not going to stand in his way of getting to know this lady a little better. Carrie looked at the flowers and then to him. She didn’t know whether to feel grateful or embarrassed. He was staring at her, and she thought that perhaps he was astounded at her rudeness. Should she thank him? She started to say that very thing when Charlie interrupted her. Walking over to the vase nearest him, he fingered the petal of a cream rose. He marveled at the silky feeling and mused that Carrie’s skin would feel similar beneath his touch.

Shaking off that thought he said to her, “Seems as though I have some competition in the romance department.” He arched an eyebrow and awaited her reply. Carrie flushed both from excitement and because she felt a little ashamed to have the flowers out in front of him, but she had no way of knowing they were not from him. On the other hand,, he had just made his intentions to romance her perfectly clear.

 She stuttered feeling his eyes upon her, “I… um … I guess they are from Jon then. Though he usually sends wildflowers. This just isn’t his style at all.”

“Ah Jon, well if the man usually romances you with wildflowers perhaps I have a better chance then I thought.” Charlie scoffed sounding cockier than he felt. What chance had he against the man she had been in love with for most of her adult life? Well spending time with her was his first step and if that meant staying in this house whose stories and images had haunted him since childhood then he would do just that. “Alright, I am in the mood for a little ghost hunt,” he said. “What info do we have so far and what can I do to help?”

Carrie marveled at his sudden willingness to help and having dated only one man seriously in her life didn’t realize that his sudden bravado was born of insecurity. She picked up the Bible again and walked over to the table and invited him to sit down. She reached behind her and took out the music box. As soon as she opened it the door upstairs slammed shut and the beautiful music began to play. She saw Charlie jump with the door and felt she had to reassure him. “It’s alright it does that every time I play the music, but I assure you there are no monsters up there, at least not during the day. You want a tour before we start?”

“Alright I guess,” and they walked through the house together, marveling over every antique. The rooms decorated with their original things and so untouched by time spooked Charlie. “Perhaps I should not sell this house and keep it as a museum,” he chuckled. He meant it as a joke, but Carrie bristled.

Putting her hand on Charlie’s chest she stopped him. “You can’t. You can’t sell this house. It is a beautiful place Charlie how could you not love it? It’s so full of history, romance, and struggle. I would rather a museum then you selling it please….” Charlie took put his hand over hers, enjoying the way it felt on his chest. He lifted it on and brought it to his lips. His eyes locked with hers and he ran his thumb over and over the back of her hand. It was a simple gesture but so sweet, so sincere, so sexy.

“Alright Carrie, alright. I won’t sell it. I can certainly afford to keep it, but I don’t know if I could ever live here.”

“Could I rent it from you?” Carrie asked suddenly inspired by a whim. Jon would not want to live down here, but she could come and stay when she wanted to be alone. The thought crossed her mind that she should never want to be alone if she was in love with him, but she brushed that off immediately and at the thought of Jon she withdrew her hand suddenly from where it was clasped, feeling like she betrayed her innermost self.

Charlie avoided answering her. “So, is this all there is to see of this house?”

“Well, there is an attic that I would love to see if you promise to stand down here and catch me if I fall through the floorboards.”

“Hmm let me see the prospect of a beautiful girl in distress falling into my arms I think I can handle that.” Charlie said at laughed as the excitement flashed in her eyes.

Carrie pulled the ladder down and carefully ascended into the attic. Peering through the darkness to locate things was a little easier than before. The window to the attic was surprisingly dirty and had blocked out much light. The light touched only one box and she wondered what happened to the shapes she had seen that first night. Were they figments of her imagination? Carrie hesitantly crawled toward the box. It was large and heavy. She pulled it to the opening and with Charlie’s help pulled it down to the floor below them. “Well should we open it here or take it downstairs?” She asked.

Shivers ran up Charlie’s spine. “I think downstairs would be better.” And to ward off the fear he was feeling he carried it downstairs and whistled a tune.

“What’s that you are whistling?” Carrie asked.

“Hmm I dunno seems like something from my childhood why?”

“Don’t you recognize it? That’s the tune form the music box.” Carrie said and was amazed that he had picked up that tune so quickly.

“Nope, that’s not where I know it from. I have heard it before though. Oh well, I’m sure I’ll remember it soon.” He said with a grunt as he put the box down on the floor next to the table.

“Well should we open it first, go over what we have, or crack open the bible?” Carrie said full of excitement. And she was waiting for his answer when his phone went off.

“Shit!” he said cursing his luck. “I gotta go I have a mare that is about to foal, and they need me back at the ranch. She’s kind of a favorite of mine.” And though he was disappointed with the interruption, the excitement of the moment swept into his eyes.

“I would love to come by and see it after it’s born. I like horses, although, I’ve never ridden.”

“Well, we’ll just have to fix that then. I’m sorry bout this,” he said waving his hand over their promising new leads.

“It’s all right. I promise to let you know what I find out.” She said as she walked him to the door and waved goodbye to him as he pulled away. She leaned against the door and paused for a moment.

“Hmmm there is just something about cowboys.” She said to herself.