Paranormal Case 9

Chapter Eight

When Travis pulled up to the curb in front of the Leon's' house, he could see Valeria sitting on a nearby bench writing in a small notebook. She then sprightly ran over to meet him, climbing up into the cab of his truck with a look of urgency.

"Hey Miss Research, I guess you got a break in the case this morning. So how did it go?"

"Travis, I really need a great favor."

"Sure."

"Look . . . it's only a little after ten o'clock. Can you drop me back off at my hotel for an hour or so . . . before that amazing lunch you promised?"

He looked over at her and could see she was seriously pressured to take care of something.

"Sure Valeria. Everything OK?"

"Yes. It's just that . . . well I have to check out some details about the La Playa Hotel and the Ghirardelli chocolate girl."

"What? You mean the ghost story I told you about?"

"Not necessarily that. Just some background info on the woman's death."

Travis had already commandeered his truck away from the curb and was heading back toward Lover's Point.

"Yeah, but what's that got to do with Natalia?"

"I honestly don't know yet. Maybe nothing. Maybe a lot. It's all so . . . amazing! What I just heard on that recording this morning."

"OK, but . . . you mean where we were yesterday?"

"Exactly, Travis. I'll explain everything when you pick me up in a bit. I've got a few websites and searches to hit. It shouldn't take long."

"Well, now you've got me intrigued," he said.

"You should be. This could be a pretty significant development in this case."

"OK, then. But haven't seen you this animated since . . . our hug last night?"

Normally a line like that would have brought a positive or negative response from Valeria, as she was somewhat versed in the game of flirtation. But now, nothing registered. It was all eclipsed by finding out how much of Natalie's narrative was accurate and truly linked to the Ghirardelli death—an event more than a hundred years ago. And if it was, why that story? And how did her own involvement with her play into it?

Travis looked over at her as he was parking the truck in front of The Seven Gables inn. He could tell by her unresponsiveness to his searching comment about the hug that she was truly and intensely preoccupied by the mission she was on. Valeria prepared to get out of the truck when she turned to him.

"Travis, can you give me about two hours? Say . . . back here at twelve-thirty? That's all I'll need, I promise. To make a transcription of the recording and do some direct fact checking."

"Absolutely. You've got it."

With that, she took her handbag with the digital recorder and small notebook and practically ran from the truck the hotel gate.

* * *

At twelve thirty-five, just as the fog had cleared for the day and the sunlight sparkled off the sea across from the hotel, Travis had come back to the inn, parking his truck out front. Valeria could see him from her window and began closing the sites on her computer which she had used as resources. She also managed to take copious notes in a Word document, as a verbatim transcription of Natalia's recorded dream.

She closed the laptop, put it in her shoulder bag, and ran into the bathroom to freshen up. There was much to tell Travis.

When she reached the truck, she saw that he was on his cell phone. As she climbed in, he was just wrapping up a conversation which seemed rather formal.