Dawn's Darkest Hour: A Romantic Thriller and Action Packed Mystery

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© 2013 Sylvia A. Witmore. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 11/27/2013

ISBN: 978-1-4918-3687-3 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4918-3686-6 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4918-3688-0 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2013921321

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Four

Chapter Twenty-Five

Chapter Twenty-Six

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Chapter Thirty

Chapter Thirty-One

Chapter Thirty-Two

Chapter Thirty-Three

About the Author

This book is dedicated with Love, to all the members of the Witmore Family

Chapter One

It has been said that it’s always darkest just before dawn!

Nicole Bailey experienced that first hand with alarming results the morning her older sister, Leslie, woke her from a sound sleep.

It was just after dawn when Leslie startled her sister as she entered Nicole’s bedroom, sobbing incoherently.

Nicole sat straight up in bed, totally alarmed. Leslie was breathless, pale as death, her long blond hair wet and disheveled with her blue eyes huge, round as saucers.

Nikki! Wake up, please. Hurry! You have to help me!

Leslie, my God. You scared me out of ten years of life. Of course I’ll help you; what’s happened?

Leslie stumbled across the bedroom floor, falling limply across the bed as she reached out for her sister, hugging her tightly. She was a quivering mass of nerves, her cold hands clinging to Nicole’s warm ones. She couldn’t talk at first; she buried her blond head into the pillows, sobbing brokenly. Her small shoulders shook until she was thoroughly exhausted, her tears drying on her lovely face.

Did something happen to Ted?

She shook her head helplessly, oh, no!

After several attempts to understand her, Nicole excused herself as she slipped into the kitchen for coffee, bringing the pot and two cups back into the bedroom a few minutes later.

Over the steaming black liquid, between deep gulps of breath, Leslie related her unbelievable experience. With her disjointed narrative, Leslie transported Nicole directly out to the scene at the lake the night before. Her description was so vivid it was almost as if Nicole had been right there beside her.

Leslie wasn’t home when Nicole arrived home later than usual; she had been driving the Jackson Industries company station wagon home from the Charlotte Douglas airport where she had met some officials from the New York office, then returned home after dropping them off at their hotel.

Leslie’s car was being serviced so she had borrowed Nicole’s Volkswagen to drive out to the lake to work on the house she and Ted would live in after their wedding.

When midnight came and went, Nicole had been too exhausted at first to worry about Leslie not being home…some nights she and her fiancé worked long hours on the house. Hurriedly, Nicole had undressed, bathed in hot, scented water then fell asleep as soon as her head touched the pillows.

Leslie reported that she hung wallpaper until midnight. Her shoulders ached so she had stopped to rest for a few minutes then curled up on the sofa just to catch her breath before she drove home. Instead, she had fallen fast asleep.

She was abruptly startled out of a deep sleep by the ominous sound of gunfire nearby. She sprang up, scared, totally unfamiliar with her surroundings before she remembered she’d fallen asleep at the house over at Lake James. The oil lamp she’d left burning was now dark and cold. The illuminated hands of her watch pointed to four o’clock.

Leslie slipped out of the house, locking the front door behind her. The other houses on her block were still under construction; no one lived in the new development yet on their side of the lake. Their house faced the street with the lake down the hill at the back of the house; theirs was to be the first one completed in that complex.

As Leslie opened the car door she heard the horrible, unmistakable sound of gunfire once more. This time it echoed from the lake directly behind the dark line of houses around the curve and was so close she could see the bright flashes from the guns. Then she heard voices down near the water.

She didn’t dare slam the car door but left it slightly ajar as she crept around the back of the house, slipping through the small grove of trees toward the lake.

The voices were louder now. She could see bright lights flashing in the darkness and the dark outline of a boat’s shadow. She crept across the dew-dampened grass until she could make out the tall figures of several men outlined against the brilliance of the moon’s reflection on the lake behind them.

Leaning against the nearest tree, Leslie watched the scene unfold before her. Lying in perfect view under the harsh, bright glare of several huge flashlights were the bodies of three men placed there in the sand side by side.

The bodies appeared to be riddled with numerous bullet holes; very little was left for identification; flesh and bones ripped from them in a most grotesque manner. Leslie was so shocked she almost cried out. Instead she slumped back against a tree as her knees grew weak.

Before her horrified eyes, the men dropped their rifles on the ground before they dragged the bloody, contorted remains over to the boat. Two of the men were busy tying heavy weights around their legs with chains while the other man held the boat steady. Then they piled the bodies on top of each other in the bottom. The three of them pushed the boat further out into the water. As the bizarre shapes were hooked together in death, they were then dropped silently into the middle of the lake to sink deeply into their watery grave. While they were busy out there, several clouds moved over the moon; for a few seconds it was totally dark and Leslie’s vision was temporarily limited.

She was mesmerized by fear. Her legs seemed to turn to stone, almost refusing to support her weight; she couldn’t move for several seconds. She was paralyzed by the horrific destruction she had just witnessed.

Slowly, she watched the boat as it moved back to shore. She knew then that she should have slipped away while they were out in the boat but she was still unable to make her cold legs support her. As the men moved up the bank from the water, the cloud moved away from the moon, reflecting on each of their faces…three men completely absorbed in their gruesome task.

Leslie didn’t recognize any of them but in the stark horror of the next few minutes, she memorized every feature of their faces.

Their voices and laughter mingled, reverberating around the lake although their actual words were indistinguishable; they seemed to be enjoying their recent activities.

Finally Leslie forced her legs to move; she slipped away from the shadow of the tree, running silently back to the car out front. The instant she reached it, she heard heavy footsteps as someone came up the path directly behind her.

He saw her and shouted, hey, you! Stop or I’ll shoot.

Without hesitation, Leslie jumped into the front seat, starting the motor as she furiously fought the steering wheel. She pulled away from the curb as she began racing down the street just as a bright light swept across the back of the car. Bullets riddled the top of the Volkswagen, also shattering the back window as she sped away.

Leslie finished telling her sister the gripping details between desperate sobs and chest-heaving gulps as she tried frantically to fill her lungs with air.

Nicole sat in stunned silence as she stared in horror into the white face of her older sister. In a numbed sense of dread, she knew if that man had been able to read the license plate on the back of the VW, they could easily be traced through DMV so she realized their identity could soon be discovered.

Nicole recognized with graphic clarity that those dangerous, murdering men could also discover their address through her car’s registration. Nicole realized she and Leslie had to go to someone for help…but who should they ask?

Leslie, you have to go to the authorities with this story, honey. We have to seek police protection.

No, no. We can’t do that! The uniforms they had on were dark, Nikki; they might even be the police themselves. I can’t trust anyone until Ted gets back in town. I have parked your car behind the house so it cannot be seen from the street.

But, we can’t wait until tomorrow when Ted comes back, darling. We have to do something today, Leslie. They will be able to trace my license plate by noon today.

Look, we can’t argue about this. I can’t even think straight right now. Let me take a hot shower and change clothes. Then maybe I’ll think of something. I have to! I’m not going to wait around here all day like a sitting duck.

She placed her empty cup on top of the dresser, defiantly stiffening her shoulders before leaving the room.

Nicole stared at the closed door of the bathroom. Secretly as an awkward adolescent she’d once envied Leslie’s long, blond silky hair with her natural curls framing a lovely face. She was blessed with glowing blue eyes. She also had an uncanny ability to enslave everyone with her charming, winning ways and beguiling smile. Nicole’s own thick black hair was totally unruly; she had to depend on salon perms for her curls although her green eyes were almost translucent, she’d always known they’d never have the luster or depth of Leslie’s baby blue gaze.

The two of them had always been close…much closer than some sisters; but their background was unfortunate. They were orphaned at an early age and brought up by their Aunt Hester, who was a spinster. She died the year Nicole turned 17. At that time Leslie quit college to go to work but then convinced Nicole to remain in high school then enter a local business college. Leslie was able to find a good job with an advertisement agency and used her creative talents to the best advantage, drawing award-winning designs for many different artistic companies.

When Nicole completed the business courses two years later, Leslie helped her obtain a wonderful position as executive administrative assistant with Ted’s boss at Jackson Industries. Nicole had been there ever since, thoroughly enjoying her job at the computer company located there in Marion.

Leslie’s and Ted’s high school romance blossomed into true love. After their engagement they saved every cent they could until they could afford to purchase a lot at the lake then began construction on a house. They were trying to save money for their wedding by finishing most of the inside themselves; things were running along pretty smoothly until tragedy reared its ugly head.

Although Marion was growing, it was still a small sleepy town located in the foothills of the North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains.

Fear is a terrible enemy, primarily stemming from an unknown quantity; it eats away until it completely possesses you mind and soul! If it continues to rule with a tremendous, forceful impact, it can destroy you. Nicole was now feeling frantic for the first time in her life; now their autonomy and subsequently their future happiness seemed to be only an illusion. Suddenly, she was afraid she’d never be able to sleep again without disturbing nightmares.

For the first time ever, Nicole intimately experienced a dreadful sense of doom. What Leslie had just described to her was almost unbelievable; it was comparable to a tale from the Dark Ages and not 2013.

Nicole forced her thoughts to return to Leslie and Ted’s upcoming marriage. She was excited that Leslie had found the man of her dreams. Ted was a tall, lanky broad-shouldered man with an easy going manner and a warm engaging grin. Leslie had been in love with him since her first year in high school. He had a bright future at the Marion Computer Company where he was head programmer.

Leslie and Nicole’s home was too large for one person so Nicole had offered them the furniture from some of the rooms they no longer used. Once the furniture was moved into the new house, the empty rooms in this house could be closed.

Immediately after work every day Leslie and Ted went out to the new house. They were using oil lamps until the electricity could be turned on; she and Ted hung curtains and wallpaper, making things cozy and livable for their future.

Nicole joined them almost daily, picking up sandwiches or preparing dinner for everyone. Yesterday had been the only exception… Nicole’s boss and Ted were both out of town so when the company’s chauffeur became ill, Nicole was left to take care of the visiting VIPs. She drove down to the airport in the company wagon to meet their plane; after a simple dinner at a nearby restaurant, she’d helped them settle into a hotel in downtown Marion.

Therefore, Leslie had been out at the house alone. The events she’d related to Nicole from the previous night were almost unbelievable.

Again, Nicole contemplated contacting the police because Leslie could describe them, but she was adamant in her refusal; she was so afraid some of those officers might actually be involved somehow; she was terrified and refused to agree each time Nicole even suggested notifying the authorities.

Nicole finally convinced Leslie that they had to talk to someone who would advise them on what they should do; someone who could steer them in the right direction. Problem was who in the world would ever believe them? The story was really too bizarre, too weird to be true!

Their plans were still unresolved following Leslie’s hot, invigorating shower.

Nicole hated to leave her alone in her present condition but she needed to return the station wagon to work that morning.

When Nicole left her to go to work, Leslie was drinking from another pot of coffee as she sat at their kitchen table trying to think about what the two of them needed to do first.

Chapter Two

Nicole left the company wagon at work that afternoon then caught a ride home with a neighbor; Leslie had called her office saying she was sick; she was far too upset to work.

That night Nicole prepared their dinner while Leslie sat in the kitchen, alternately shredding paper towels and drumming nervous fingers on the top of the table. Her clear, white skin was stretched tightly across her high cheekbones with dark, unbecoming smudges evident beneath her eyes.

Leslie, dear; try to settle down. Together the both of us will think of something we can do. Nicole begged gently.

Leslie only stared back at her with wide, vacant eyes, saying nothing as she continued to appear out of sorts, her mind a million miles away.

Finally Nicole spoke again. Maybe Ted will know what to do when he comes back tomorrow evening.

We can’t wait until tomorrow, Nikki. They’re going to trace you through the VW’s tag number. They’ll think you were the one who saw them last night; they won’t know it was me. We’ve got to do something right now before they show up at our door.

Surely it can wait just one more day, Nicole suggested hopefully, wanting desperately to close her eyes and just forget about everything she had heard.

No, Leslie cried as she hit the enameled top with a clenched fist. Nikki, you don’t seem to understand we are dealing with dangerous, cold-blooded criminals. They are animals who have committed murder several times. What I saw was loathsome. They’ll never bat an eyelash about killing both of us to keep us quiet.

I’m sure you’re right, Leslie; but you don’t want to go to the police. It’s just such a frightening story; it sounds like something out of a crime magazine or a science fiction thriller. It doesn’t seem real!

Well, it was very real and I witnessed it. I’ve been thinking about this all day, and I finally have the answer, Leslie announced suddenly. She stood up quickly, circling the length of the room as she stared at her younger sister. I’m going out to see Dr. Henderson right away. He’ll know what I should do.

Dr. Ralph Henderson? she echoed incredibly. I’ve never met that Psychiatrist from Broughton Hospital in Morganton. I didn’t even know that you knew him?

I’ve met him once or twice at several socials with Ted. He met him at the golf course last summer and really likes him.

What in the world are you going to tell him? Nicole asked, her heart quickly constricting with pain.

Everything; I’ll explain everything that happened from the beginning to the bitter end. I want to know if Dr. Henderson thinks we ought to go to the local police or call Raleigh to ask for FBI protection. Let’s go see him as soon as we eat.

Nicole frowned suddenly. You mean you want to go way out there to the Lab complex and talk to him tonight?

Yes, right now; we decided that we couldn’t wait until Ted returns; I’ll phone first to make sure he can see us.

She sounded as desperate as she looked; Nicole had never seen her sister’s blue eyes so wild with fright; she was strung as tight as a guitar string. Nicole was actually afraid to refuse to go along…in the state she was in, she’d go out there all by herself!

Well, if you’re so determined, I’ll agree. I certainly don’t want you going out there alone. But, I have to tell you that I don’t like this at all!

I don’t either but we’re running out of options. What other choice do we have?

Nicole shook her head slowly, with complete reluctance. Okay, but try to eat something first.

No, Nikki; I can’t possibly swallow a single bite.

For a few minutes she sat there in silence then suddenly she described the three men she’d seen down at the boat in detail. When she finished her description, she jumped up as she declared. You eat, I’ll be right back.

She left the room as Nicole sat heavily down at the table to drink another cup of black coffee; drinking coffee in the evening was unusual for her but she had to have something to settle her whirling nerves. She almost went to the sideboard to mix a very stiff drink but decided against it; she didn’t know what they would face before the night was over…she might need a very clear head before their task was completed.

Nicole was having a hard time believing the reality of Leslie’s story so to keep her shaking hands busy she covered the casserole dishes on the table then put them away for later. Not that she thought Leslie was mistaken but it was hard to believe something that outlandish could happen in their sleepy little mountain town.

Theirs was a modern, civilized world although of course gruesome crime was rampart in larger cities so it was difficult to accept what was happening right here. TV news and daily papers ran stories such as this often…gang killings, convenience store murders and bank robberies. She recalled reading a newspaper report of a small town called Laurinburg in the middle of the state where two men drove a truck into the front of several businesses to steal their ATM machines in the middle of the night. But it was extremely hard to realize things of that sort could happen in their harmless little town. Such vagrant brutality and macabre death as Leslie had described was for New York, Chicago or San Francisco; surely not Marion, North Carolina.

When Leslie returned to the kitchen a few minutes later, Nicole was still sipping her coffee but the food on her plate was almost untouched. The part of her sister’s face not covered by the swinging blond hair was pale; her hands were trembling slightly. Nicole stared up at her expectantly, waiting for her to speak.

Dr. Henderson will see us right away, Nikki. He’s in his laboratory and will be watching out for us.

She was wringing her hands in obvious despair; Nicole had never seen her sister in such a state but she really couldn’t blame her after what she had witnessed which hurled both of them into an unbelievable situation.

All right, Nicole reluctantly agreed. She knew that it was useless to argue any further. I’ll get the car keys.

I’ll meet you outside.

Nicole stood there in their bright, safe kitchen as she watched Leslie spin around on her heels.

A sudden, growing premonition hit her suddenly in the pit of her stomach, wrenching her with tantalizing pain. A morbid, nagging fear made her mouth turn pasty; she almost ordered Leslie to change her mind; Nicole tried to find a word to describe her emotions as she fought her fear…she was afraid that it was fate or karma telling her to wait for assistance, begging them not to go…several more minutes passed before she could actually remember she was supposed to pick up her car keys and follow Leslie.

When she came out their back door, she found Leslie hunched over in the front seat of the car, a forlorn, dejected figure, nervously leaning against one of the few windows still intact; her body was shaking in jerky motions quite different from her usual slow, natural poise.

Nicole glanced casually over her car for the first time. She noticed the deep, telltale dents in the top of the car; the back window had been completely shattered by the bullets…gleaming slivers of glass still littered the back seat.

How awful, Nicole breathed anxiously. Someone certainly owes me a repair bill; it’s a miracle you weren’t hit.

I know; I’m sorry about your car!

I’d rather have the shattered glass and dents than the alternative, Les; at least you’re alive!

Leslie’s bottom lip trembled and the shimmer of tears glistened on her dark lashes; Nicole desperately wanted to make her feel better…she just didn’t know how to go about accomplishing that.

Before we go, Les, do you want one of Aunt Hester’s tranquilizers? she asked helpfully. It might settle your nerves.

She shook her head. No, Nikki; thanks; let’s just go.

Without another word of protest, Nicole started the motor of the little VW. Mechanically, Leslie gave her directions out to Dr. Henderson’s laboratory off Highway 70. Nicole had heard about the Medical Laboratory several times but had never been out that way. Dr. Henderson was a known psychiatrist with patients at Broughton Hospital in Morganton, but no one knew exactly what kind of Laboratory he had erected just outside of Marion.

Nicole listened to Leslie’s directions but almost tuning out her small talk about Dr. Henderson. She had met him through Ted at several cocktail parties at the Country Club and a bridge benefit. Though Nicole had never met him as she drove up the highway, she thought about the different things she’d heard regarding him.

Someone new in town always stirred the gossip mongrels. If those new arrivals were the least bit enigmatic or secretive in any way, people speculated, inventing weird descriptions so their reclusive actions caused even more prevalent talk. It was reported that he was eccentric, very strange and reserved. He seemed a bit preoccupied with his work though no one knew exactly what kind of medical research he did at the Lab. He was rumored to be married to his work. Nicole was a little shocked that Leslie knew him well enough to ask his advice about anything, let alone a matter as critical as this one!

The huge building doubled as medical offices, living quarters and a research lab. The rambling old mansion had been remodeled exactly to Dr. Henderson’s own specific ramifications regarding the building, housing for staff and their patients.

Nicole had heard that the building itself was located in a very remote, isolated section of the county miles out in the country at the base of a mountain. She never understood why a doctor wanted his office headquarters so far from the hospital and other civilization, but he chose the set-up himself, which bordered a creek that eventually flowed into Lake James.

The building itself was quite overpowering to say the least. It was set back on a high hill, completely surrounded by a thick grove of dense pine trees. In the thickest part of the forest it was rumored a grown man could lose himself for days. Nicole always shuddered every time she heard about the Lab because of its unknown essence; no one was ever sure of what actually happened out there.

The small drive to the left was almost obscure. There was no sign but there were two high columns on each side of the road so Leslie directed Nicole to turn there.

As they drove up the long curved driveway, Nicole’s attitude did not change at all; the complex itself was too isolated, almost menacing or haunting in stature, seemingly forbidden, completely strange-looking. There was an acute peculiarity that seemed to represent something evil; it was very reminiscent of the old, rambling houses used in horror movies during the 70’s and 80’s.

Nicole found herself torn between two distinct desires. She absolutely didn’t want to go inside that awesome-looking house…three tall stories of dark, moldy wood; but neither did she want Leslie to go inside all by herself while she remained outside alone.

As they walked silently up the long, graveled path, Nicole looked all around her. From each dark side she expected to see ghostly apparitions flying across the lawn to greet them so she shuddered visibly, trying to shake lose the fear that clogged her throat. She hugged her shoulder bag close to her for protection.

Contrary to her pounding heart and quivering knees, everything around them was peaceful as any lovely country site. Fireflies flew over their heads sparkling around them just like the stars above; in the background she heard the soft, steady rumbling creek flowing gently downstream. She could also hear bullfrogs croaking nearby as well as chirping crickets along with various unidentified bird sounds settling down for the night.

Nicole wanted to also turn in for the night, but preferably safe and secure in her own bed at home. She’d make sure the windows and doors were tightly bolted against these newfound fears she’d developed since just after dawn that morning when Leslie had awakened her, relating her experience out at the lake that hour before dawn.

She could smell the spicy fragrance of green pines mingling with the mountain waters from the creek; she also recognized the sweet, almost sickly scent of honeysuckle bushes in bloom. Any other time, Nicole would have enjoyed the wonderful, obvious signs of spring, but right now she was far too upset over their dire circumstances to feel even the slightest bit of excitement.

Their heels echoed briskly as they walked across the wide front porch to the massive wooden door. Leslie took the huge brass knocker in her small hand, banging it against the brass plate with a solid tap. When she removed her slim white hand Nicole saw that the enormous brass knocker was fashioned into the shape of a growling bulldog, its teeth bared ready to strike any minute. The illusion she felt earlier depicting an eerie haunted house prevailed even more after seeing that grinning replica.

Shuddering inwardly, thoughts of Poe’s evil House of Usher flitted through her head; she automatically looked around behind her in nervous apprehension. She could make out nothing but the odd, assorted shapes of the massive trees around them; they were forbidding, dark and menacing as the night breeze rustled through the leaves.

Nicole nervously shifted her feet on the wooden porch as she stood there looking anxiously around her. She shuddered involuntarily.

I’ll say one thing for this place, Leslie. It’s eerie-looking and I’ll tell you something else, sister of mine. If that wooden door even squeaks the slightest bit, I’m going to take off running back to the car as fast as I can!

Shhh, Nikki; don’t be so melodramatic! There’s nothing to cause us to be frightened at all. After all, he’s a very respectable doctor.

Famous last words; I’m not so sure of that myself! she murmured sagely, shivering uncontrollably.

It seemed like an eternity as they stood there waiting for someone to open the massive wooden door. Leslie shrugged her slight shoulders as she banged the knocker against the dog’s head once again. In a matter of minutes there was a sharp, metallic click from inside as the door swung partially open. Still the two of them stood there rooted to the spot.

The door opened a little wider but it was so dark they absolutely could see no one waiting for them in that dim hall. Nicole vowed mutely that if the person on the other side seemed half as scary as the façade on the outside, that she would indeed scream and take off running for parts unknown…anywhere as long as it was miles from this creepy, forbidden place. She was reminded anew of several scenes from horror movies she’d seen; at this moment those remembered sensations were not one bit pleasant.

Leslie took a hesitant step forward. Breathlessly, Nicole reached out to catch her arm to forcibly hold her back. When she turned to face Nicole her wide eyes hardly focused on her; she seemed almost mesmerized.

Nicole shivered again as goose bumps chilled her arms. She spoke hoarsely, whispering in fear. Les, let’s not go any further. Honey, let’s go back home right now.

Leslie stared back at her mutely for a long terrifying moment. Her eyes were wide and unseeing but her voice sounded normal as she answered her. No, don’t be silly! There’s an automatic lock on this door, Nikki; it can be opened from several rooms inside. We’re supposed to come on in. The doctor and his assistants are always busy; they probably can’t come to the door each time a patient arrives.

I don’t think I want to be one of his patients either, Nicole announced quite defiantly. "If I wasn’t sick before I came in here, I’d be deathly ill when I left. Les, this place is daunting, very creepy. I feel like there’s something inordinately evil here. I think we have just entered an episode of Inner Sanctum."

Nicole hesitated as she looked cautiously down the long darkened hallway in front of them but Leslie spoke softly. Nikki, don’t be so morbid!

Nicole could only stare back at her sister, her eyes wide with horror. If you don’t feel the evil yourself then your spine must be made of hard granite.

Leslie frowned thoughtfully shifting away from Nicole’s grasping fingers. Nonsense; come on in so the door will close behind us.

I don’t think I want it to close. This just doesn’t feel right to me. In fact, Les, I don’t feel well at all right now.

Leslie shook her blond head. I’ve never seen anyone so melodramatic. You’re enough to scare your own shadow.

It’s not me! Nicole denied hotly, disregarding the veiled criticism. Blame it on this place. If you’re not frightened by this big towering, dark house and that silly old door opening all by itself, then nothing can scare you.

Do you want to wait outside on the porch while I go inside?

No, I don’t want to do that either! Nicole commented dryly, still standing in the doorway while Leslie stepped further inside. Just at that moment she realized she’d much rather be inside with Leslie than outside alone on that dark, forbidden porch.

Hurriedly she followed her across the threshold into the huge almost empty hallway. They were still in the dark; both her hands darted out unconsciously as she tightly grasped both of Leslie’s arms.

Involuntarily, she tried to swallow the lump in her throat. Leslie, this is much too weird…I don’t like it at all!

Hush; let me think.

Nicole refused to be quiet as she shook her head determinedly. You’ll never catch me alone out here during the day or night either! she whispered urgently. She didn’t realize at that moment that they would end up being famous last words! "Most assuredly, Haunted Pictures, Incorporated must have an option on this place. Call it woman’s intuition or whatever you choose, but I feel that something is terribly wrong!"

As her eyes became accustomed