The Girl In The Cabin

Chapter Fourteen: News Travels Fast

    Joyce Carter shivers as she walks down the thyme-green corridor of Crest Ridge. After reading about Alex's situation, Joyce told her husband she wouldn't get involved– but she's a Carter. She follows her gut. She tries not to make eye contact with the patients as she walks down the hall. She had made the mistake years ago only to be spat on by a resident who mistook her for an intruder. She stops outside Maggie Caldwell's room, taking a deep breath before turning the knob and walking inside.

    Maggie hunches in a rocking chair, staring at the birds outside the window. "Maggie?" Joyce frowns at the trepidation in her own voice. She straightens her shoulders. "Maggie, I need to talk to you." Maggie doesn't acknowledge her. "I know you can hear me, so stop acting like you can't. At least look at me." Joyce marches herself in front of the woman– her son's true mother. "I've left you several messages. You might want to speak, but I know you listened to them. Stop acting like some kind of mute and speak to me. I told you I'm worried about Alex. Don't you care?" Maggie leans back in the rocking chair as though Joyce is invisible. "Dalton told me long ago not to bother you. He said you wouldn't care...I know you had a difficult past. You made decisions you regret, but no one put a gun to your head and forced you to cheat on your husband. No one forced you to sleep with Lionel. You did that on your own and it's too late to feel sorry for yourself. If you were a real mother, you'd own up to your mistakes and help your children." Maggie's eyes remain listless and dull. "What am I saying? You didn't even bother to save your own daughter as she was murdered in front of you. Why would you treat your son any differently? I hope your guilt haunts you until the day you die." Maggie doesn't look at Joyce but... "You're wrong..." She says, her voice barely a whisper. Joyce is silenced by the soft, frail voice. "What did you say..?" She gasps. "You're wrong. I tried...I tried to save her." Joyce's mouth falls open as she steps closer to Maggie, now speaking for the first time in years. "Then why won't you help me save Alex? I'm scared, Maggie. I think he's in danger." Maggie's lips twist into a sneer. "That boy has evil in him. No one can help him. No one."

Stacey POV

    Alex and I stare and the knife Charlotte's ghost lead us to, her image now gone, leaving us both in a daze. "So, we both saw her, right? I'm not crazy?" I ask. Alex nods, "Stacey, we both saw her. You're not crazy unless it's some kind of crazy epidemic." I nod, "Let's hope not. Could you imagine everyone running around like us, chasing ghosts?" Alex nods, "Yeah, it'd be terrible for business." I laugh, "You'd have to diversify your portfolio. Maybe start a juice bar." Alex smiles, "Only if you promise to clean it out before I arrive." He winks at me and I roll my eyes, slapping him on the chest playfully. "Well, we can cut stand-up comedian off the list of possible careers." Alex shrugs, "You say that, but you laughed." I look around as if searching for my next objective. "So, what do we do now? Call Sheriff Dan?" I ask. Alex shakes his head. "No. Now we get you fixed up." Alex points to my bitten wrists as he walks me back to the cabin.

    "Just hold still, all right?" Alex sits beside me, carefully swabbing some alcohol on my wrists. "I'm just worried. Are you sure we shouldn't call the police? This could be obstruction of justice." I sigh. Alex shakes his head, "All we found was a knife. That doesn't mean it's evidence. Besides, what would you tell them? A ghost appeared and lead us to a twenty-five-year-old murder weapon? No, they'd throw us in an insane asylum. Besides, I don't exactly trust Sheriff Dan." I nod, "Well, this has been an insane week." Alex shrugs, "I wouldn't say insane." He places a bandage over one of the bite marks. "More like...surprising." I look up and stare into Alex's blue eyes. He's inches away from me. I gulp. "What's the matter? Are you feeling okay?" Alex asks quickly. He reaches forward to check my temperature. "I don't know. Everything's been happening so face. Then there's Charlotte– this cabin is haunted. We agree on that, right?" I ask. "To me, haunted means uninvited strangers or unwanted spirits. Charlotte isn't a stranger. She's my sister." Alex says. "So, it doesn't bother you?" I ask. He shakes his head, "No. It's actually somewhat comforting knowing she's still around. Now, if you told anyone this, I'd deny it." I laugh, "Can't have top businessman Alex Carter admitting he believes in ghosts, can we?" He smiles "No. I have thousands of employees that depend on me for their livelihoods. If everyone thought I was some lunatic following the ghost of his dead sister, I'd be ruined." I hide my smile, "But you are following the ghost of your sister." Alex laughs, "Let's keep that between us. Besides, I wasn't following her. I was following you." I feel a warm flutter in my stomach. I'm unsure how I feel about Alex tipping off the reporters, but I'm drawn to him, nonetheless.