The Hidden Picture: A Ghost Mystery Story (Second Hand Ghosts Book 4) (4 page)

Chapter 13

We
arrived at the nursing home. It looked more like a 5 star hotel. A valet even
stepped forward to take Mrs Brown’s car away.

I
supposed that Tiffany Silver could afford such care.

I’d
only been to one nursing home before, when my granddad was ill. It wasn’t a
nice place and it smelt of boiled cabbage.

This
nursing home smelt of polish and flowers. A smartly dressed woman walked
towards us. She smiled when she saw Mrs Brown.

“Two
visits in one week? Ms Silver will be pleased. And you’ve brought a visitor
too.” She looked at me and said, “Would you mind signing in, please?”

“Not
at all,” I replied and I followed her over to the desk. She pointed to an open
book and a pen.

As
I wrote my name and address I overheard Mrs Brown asking if her grandma was
having a good day.

“Medium
to bad, I’m afraid. I don’t know if she’ll recognise you today.”

The
woman then led us down a hall to a private room. She knocked on the door and
then opened it. We stepped into a luxurious room. I noticed the huge windows
immediately. They had magnificent views of the surrounding countryside.

I
also noticed the old lady sitting in a chair by the corner window. She looked
small and frail.

“Sally!
My Sally!” Ernie called out and he seemed to swoop over to her. He knelt at her
side and looked lovingly up at her.

The
smart woman left the room, closing the door behind her. Mrs Brown walked over
to her grandma. She pulled two chairs closer to the old woman and told me to
take a seat.

Mrs
Brown took one of her grandma’s hands and said, “Hello grandma, it’s me, Donna.
How are you?”

Sally
looked at Mrs Brown and gave a little smile. Then she turned away and looked
out of the window.

Mrs
Brown gave a small sigh, “She doesn’t know who I am. I don’t know if she will
understand what you’re saying but you may as well say what you came here to
say.”

I
did so. I explained as clearly as I could about myself first, and then about
Ernie.

Ernie
kept butting in with things he wanted to say but I shook my hand. I had to get
all the details out first without confusing her anymore.

Sally
didn’t look at me once as I talked. I’m not sure she heard anything I said.

When
I’d finished we all sat there silently.

Mrs
Brown stood up, “Well, you tried. I think we should leave her in peace now.”

“Can
we come back another day, when she’s feeling better?” I asked.

“She’ll
never feel better, she’s getting worse every day. We’d better go,” Mrs Brown
started to walk towards the door.

Ernie
straightened up, “We can’t leave her! Do something! Please!”

I
shook my head. I couldn’t think of anything else to do. I followed Mrs Brown
over to the door. We walked down the hall and towards the reception area.

I
stopped.

Of
course! The picture! I could show her the picture and see if she recognised it.

“I’ve
forgotten something!” I said to Mrs Brown and I ran back down the hall and into
Sally’s room.

I
walked over to her, she was still looking out of the window.

I
took the picture out of my bag and gently placed it on Sally’s knee.

She
didn’t move.

I
was about to give up hope when Sally turned her head.

She
looked down at the picture.

Chapter 14

Sally’s
eyes glittered as she looked at the sketch of her younger self.

Recognition
seem to flicker across her face, the corners of her mouth began to twitch.

She
smiled. Then she gave a little laugh and looked up at me.

“That’s
me! My Ernie drew that.”

By
this time Mrs Brown had joined me in the room. Her face lit up when she saw her
grandma talking.

“Look,
Donna, that’s me when I was young. Ernie Ford drew it.”

Sally’s
smile dropped as she mentioned Ernie’s full name.

“Ernie
Ford, the man who broke my heart,” she said bitterly and shook her head.

“Tell
her now! Before we lose her again!” Ernie cried out.

I
quickly told Sally why I was here. She listened carefully and seemed to follow
what I was saying.

“I
can’t believe he did such a stupid thing! If you’re here, Ernie Ford, just you
wait till I get to the other side, I’ll give you such an ear bashing that
you’ll wish you didn’t have ears!”

“I
can’t wait my love!” Ernie chuckled.

Sally
looked thoughtful, “He did that because he loved me so much?”

“I
did, and I still love you,” Ernie said.

I
repeated his words. Then I repeated the question he just asked.

Sally
looked at the picture again and said, “Yes, I forgive him. I probably would
have done the same if it was the other way round. And yes, Ernie, I still love
you too.”

Ernie
gave me a great big smile. Then he began to glow a bit. This is what happened
when ghosts were ready to move on. I didn’t know where they went, just that
they always seemed happy to go.

“Donna,
go into my drawer, there’s a picture at the bottom. Can you bring it over here,
please?” Sally asked.

Mrs
Brown did so. She handed her grandma a small piece of folded paper.

Sally
unfolded it. It was the same size as the sketch of Sally.

“That’s
my Ernie, I drew this,” Sally said proudly.

The
sketch showed Ernie sitting under the same tree. His hand was tilted to the
right. Sally placed the sketches side by side. It looked like Sally and Ernie
were looking at each other.

“Please
keep the picture of you, it belongs to you,” I told Sally.

Ernie
was shining brightly now. He beamed at Sally and said, “I’ll see you soon, my
love.”

Then
he floated up a few feet and disappeared.

“Ernie’s
gone now,” I told Sally. “But he said he’ll see you on the other side.”

I
didn’t say ‘soon’, I didn’t want Mrs Brown to worry.

Sally
smiled and held the pictures next to her chest. She yawned.

“I
think I’ll have a sleep now. Thank you for visiting. What was your name again?”

Sally
closed her eyes.

Mrs
Brown put her arm on mine and led me out of the room. She had tears in her
eyes.

“I
haven’t seen grandma that happy for years. Thank you for insisting on coming
here.”

Chapter 15

Mrs
Brown drove me back to the school. She said goodbye and then I got into my own
car.

I
felt a bit lonely as I drove along. It was funny how quickly I got used to
having chattering ghosts in the car with me.

I
arrived at the shop not long after. I was pleased to see it was busy with
customers.

Carol
waved over at me, “About time too! Get round here and get on the till. We’ve
got customers waiting.”

I
joined Carol behind the counter. People were buying all sorts of things. Items
that had been in the shop for years were flying off the shelves. It seems that
putting naked pictures in the window had attracted attention to our shop. I
hoped it continued.

We
didn’t even stop for lunch.

At
three o’clock Carol nudged me and said, “You’d better go and collect your
Emily.”

“Will
you be alright on your own?” I asked.

“Of
course, why wouldn’t I be?” Carol suddenly pointed to a man in the corner of
the shop. “Oi you! If you drop that, then you’ll pay for it. Look with your
eyes not your hands.”

Carol
tutted and said to me, “He’s got fingers like sausages. Anyway, off you go.”

I
walked away from the counter. Then I remembered something.

“Did
we sell all of the pictures of Rose?”

Carol
nodded, “Apart from this one, I kept it under the counter. Thought you might
like it.”

Carol
pulled out a small portrait of Rose’s face. She was smiling. It was a smile I’d
seen many times. I had a sudden pang as I thought how much I was missing her.

“Thank
you, that was very thoughtful,” I told Carol.

She
shrugged, “We can put it up in the shop if you like, behind the counter. I’m
not bothered where it goes.”

I
smiled. Carol was showing her soft side again. “Behind the counter would be
nice. See you tomorrow.”

I
walked out of the shop. Before the door closed I heard Carol yell, “What did I
tell you? Now pick those pieces up and get over here and pay for it!”

I
laughed. I hoped I would never meet any ghosts with a temper like Carol’s. I’d
be far too scared to help them!

About
the author

I
live in a town in the north of England. On the high street there are about 7
charity shops. They always have lovely window displays enticing you to enter.
Quite often I have looked at the things in the windows and wondered who they
belonged to, and why they have given them away. I also wondered what would
happen if there were ghosts attached to some items. For a while I thought about
the possible stories – and then I eventually wrote them down!

I
set the stories in a second hand shop, rather than a charity shop, as it would
give characters the opportunity to sell items they don’t want, or need,
anymore.

I
still look in the charity shop windows, it’s amazing the things that people
donate.

Other
books in this series:

Book 1 – The Final Bet

Click
here
for Amazon Com

Click
here
for Amazon UK

Book
2 – The Lost Baby

Click
here
for Amazon Com

Click
here
for Amazon UK

Book
3 – The Last Laugh

Click
here
for Amazon Com

Click
here
for Amazon UK

Book
5 – The 7
^th
Birthday Party

Click
here
for Amazon Com

Click
here
for Amazon UK

You
can visit my website at :

www.gillianlarkin.co.uk

Kind
regards

Gillian