Deception at Dark Hall (The Briony Martin Mystery Series) (2 page)

Briony felt her eyes widen. “Witchcraft and drugs? Where did he meet this woman?”

“At a séance.”

“What?” At an outward glance, Daniel Collier appeared to be as straight as an arrow. She couldn’t imagine him attending a séance.

Paige nodded. “The woman’s name is Sharlyn Dark. She lives in a Victorian mansion downtown called Dark Hall. She’s a medium, and she holds séances in the mansion.”

“Do you mean she speaks to the dead?”

“That’s her claim.” Paige rolled her eyes. “Daniel and a few of the people he works with got into a discussion one day about life after death. None of his co-workers knew about his fiancé, Monica. She died four months ago right before their wedding. He’s kept his pain to himself. But he apparently blurted out the story that day and mentioned he’d do anything to see Monica’s face or hear her voice one more time. He met Monica soon after he moved here to Chicago, and they fell in love quickly. Her death shattered him.”

Briony sighed. “So sad. Although I didn’t initially recognize Daniel, I do remember a phone conversation in which you mentioned his fiancé. What a tragedy. She suffered a brain aneurism, if I recall correctly.”

“That’s right. Anyway, one of Daniel’s co-workers had been to Dark Hall, and he invited Daniel to go with him a few weeks ago to attend a séance. That’s when Daniel met Sharlyn Dark. He came home claiming Monica had made her presence known, and she’d spoken to him through Miss Dark. I hadn’t seen him so animated and full of life since before Monica’s passing. He’s gone back two or three times a week since. He seems to be obsessed—or perhaps
possessed
.”

Briony had heard of these types of scam artists. There had been a similar court case in Wichita, in which a woman sued a self-proclaimed psychic on behalf of her elderly mother. The daughter claimed the psychic tricked her mother into giving her jewelry and money, and even named her in her will! Briony had been the court stenographer and found the case both disturbing and fascinating.

“Does Daniel live here with you and Mark?” she asked.

“After Monica’s death, he was unable to step foot inside the house he’d bought for the two of them. There was no way he could afford both a mortgage and an apartment lease, so we let him move in temporarily while he tried to sell the house. A couple has finally signed a contract, so hopefully, he’ll be able to afford his own place soon.”

From across the table, Briony patted Paige’s hand. “Why didn’t you tell me he was staying here? I could have reserved a motel room. In fact, I’m sure I can find a motel close by and take a taxi back and forth. With the new baby and the christening coming up, you have far too much going on right now to bother with another person in the house.”

Paige would have none of it. “Don’t be ridiculous. We have two spare rooms. The baby stays in our bedroom with us for now. I want you here. You’re my best friend. But I apologize for not telling you on the phone about Daniel. Are you going to be uncomfortable with him around?”

“No, of course not. He’s Mark’s brother and seems like a nice enough fellow. But are you sure it won’t be too much for you?”

Paige stood up and hugged Briony around the shoulders. Tears sparkled in her eyes. “I’m positive. I’m so happy you’re here.”

“So am I. Of course, I’ll help with cooking or cleaning, or whatever you need.”

Paige smiled and took her seat again.

“What makes you think this medium is into witchcraft and drugs?” Briony asked, returning to the subject.

“Mark did some subtle asking around. There are rumors, and Daniel has been acting strange. He comes home from Dark Hall with glassy eyes and smelling like fruity tobacco, but he doesn’t smoke. Or, at least, he didn’t smoke before. He’s become more irritable and snaps if Mark or I ask him any questions about Miss Dark or what’s going on at her mansion.”

“Do you know if he pays a reading fee each time he attends a séance?”

“He does, although I don’t know how much. He slipped up once and mentioned something to that effect and then clamped his mouth shut. He knows Mark wouldn’t approve of him throwing his money away.”

Briony told her about the case she’d worked on in Wichita and suggested Daniel might be the victim of a scam. “Has Mark ever gone to the mansion with Daniel to meet Miss Dark?”

“No. He’s been too busy with work and helping me with the baby. And Daniel’s his older brother. Mark doesn’t want to step on his toes, although he’s as worried about the situation as I am. We don’t know what to do. Daniel’s heart was broken when Monica died. He’s still vulnerable. We hate to think someone is taking advantage of him, or he’s trying to stave off his sadness by using drugs.”

Briony had never seen Paige’s face so wrought with worry. “I wish there was something I could do to help,” she said.

“There might be,” Paige replied quickly. “Would you go with Daniel to Dark Hall and see for yourself what this woman is up to? After your experiences in Maine with investigating your father’s murder and communing with ghosts, you seem the perfect person to be able to figure out if Daniel’s in danger or not.”

Briony leaned back in her chair. “Wait a minute. I’m not a detective, and I know nothing about mediums.”

“But you know about scam artists. You just said so. And you have good intuition. Please, Briony. If you sense something fishy is going on, maybe you can talk some sense into Daniel whereas Mark and I can’t. Or if you can determine this woman, Sharlyn Dark, is doing something illegal, like selling him drugs or coercing him into giving her his money, we can go to the police.”

Briony wished John was here. He was the real detective. He’d know how to interrogate someone correctly and search for clues without being obvious. He did a great job doing just that on Cape Marble. An idea skated through her mind. Perhaps he could give her advice over the phone. This could be the perfect excuse for her to call him.

“Please, Briony,” Paige begged. “Daniel is Mark’s only sibling. If he were to end up arrested, broke, addicted, or part of a cult or something, we’d never forgive ourselves for not stepping in. We want to help, but he won’t listen to us.”

Briony shrugged her shoulders. “What makes you think he’d listen to any words of wisdom I’ll have to offer? I’m no one to him.”

“That’s just it,” Paige said with enthusiasm. “I’m sure you’ve heard that old adage about how it’s easier for someone to share his deepest secrets with a stranger. With you, Daniel will have less fear of being judged. He might feel free to be honest and more likely to listen to your advice.”

Briony gazed into Paige’s pleading eyes and couldn’t say no. She’d thought she was coming to Chicago to take her mind off of John, spend some down time with her best friend, and to participate in her goddaughter’s christening. It seemed a séance in a Victorian mansion would be part of the itinerary as well.

CHAPTER TWO

Daniel’s gaze ping-ponged between Mark and Paige and then landed on Briony. Obviously, he was confused as to why a woman he’d met only once before now would want to go to a séance with him tonight rather than stay at home visiting with her best friend whom she hadn’t seen in over a year. Briony didn’t blame him for acting suspicious. She thought the plan bordered on absurd and would probably backfire on them, but she’d do anything for Paige.

“Aren’t you tired from traveling?” he asked her.

“No, I feel fine. The flight wasn’t long. The trip was exhilarating. In fact, my adrenaline is still flowing.” That was the truth. But she really had no desire to go out into the cold rain, meet a strange woman, and participate in a séance. She’d rather enjoy conversation with Paige and Mark over dinner and coo at the baby all evening.

“Briony had some unusual experiences not long ago when she was in Maine,” Paige revealed. “She saw ghosts. One of them interceded when she was about to be murdered.”

Briony couldn’t believe Paige just said that. She pursed her lips and shot her friend a look that implied she had a big mouth. Mark didn’t appear surprised, so Paige had evidently shared Briony’s secret with her husband. Daniel, however, took notice. His interest suddenly grew.

“Really? So you believe in communicating with spirits from beyond.”

“Uh, yes. Now I do.”

“I’m curious about your experience in Maine. Whose ghosts did you encounter?”

Briony swallowed and glanced at Paige, who nodded her encouragement to go on. “Let’s see. There was a girl named Sally, some babies who had passed over, a woman named Mira—she’s the one who saved my life—and my father.”

Daniel’s eyes enlarged. “Did you talk to your father? Was he able to speak?”

She nodded. “He materialized in front of me and yes, he spoke. He apologized for causing our family grief many years ago, and he asked for forgiveness.”

A smile quirked the corner of Daniel’s mouth. Then his smug gaze moved from Mark to Paige. “Will you believe me now when I tell you Monica has been communicating with me through Sharlyn? Your friend just confirmed there are supernatural occurrences that take place in this world, even if you don’t understand how they happen.”

Neither Paige nor Mark commented. Their faces looked made of stone, and the silence was awkward. Briony felt compelled to address his remark. For Paige and Mark’s sakes, she hoped to further convince Daniel to let her tag along tonight.

“When Paige told me about Dark Hall, I became excited and asked if I might finagle an invitation to go with you. Ever since my experiences in Maine, I’ve been fascinated by the paranormal and have even considered visiting a medium. But I haven’t found the courage to go alone. This seems like the perfect opportunity.”

Daniel urged her to continue. “Is there someone else, aside from your father, you’d like to communicate with?”

She cleared her throat and felt a quickening in her chest. “Paige probably hasn’t mentioned it, but I had a twin brother, Ben. He passed away five years ago. I’m wondering if Miss Dark might be able to invoke his spirit.”

The words spilled from her mouth without thought and before realizing what she was saying. She studied the myriad emotions that crossed Daniel’s face and felt stirrings within her own body. She sensed her twin was always with her, but never had she considered conjuring him up from the other world. A prickly feeling niggled beneath goose-fleshed skin at the thought.

Daniel smiled broadly. “I’d be pleased for you to go with me tonight. I’m sure Sharlyn—Miss Dark—won’t mind another guest.”

Briony heard the exhalation of breath that Paige probably didn’t know she’d been holding. The two women exchanged a cunning glance.

When Paige asked Daniel to reconsider staying for dinner before heading out to Dark Hall, he relented. “I should have realized she’s planned something special for your first night in Chicago.”

“Yes, I have,” Paige announced, “and it’ll be much better than a greasy burger. I’m glad you’ve decided to join us.” She grinned. “Dinner will be ready in an hour.” She winked at Briony and then set about pulling pots and pans out of the metal cabinets.

~ * ~

The rain had tapered to a slow drizzle by the time Briony and Daniel set off for Dark Hall in his older Dodge Coronet. Along the drive, he pointed out a few city landmarks, but he didn’t converse beyond his narration as a tour guide. However, once they reached North Lake Shore Drive, she sensed a change in his mood. He became more animated and somewhat giddy.

He mentioned that it had taken three years to build Dark Hall. Construction had begun in 1882 and finished in 1885. “Sharlyn’s ancestor, Palmer Dark, built the mansion for him and his wife to use for social gatherings. They entertained many famous people of the time, including the former U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant. Palmer had been a prominent businessman who was responsible for much of the development of State Street. At the time, Dark Hall was the largest private residence in Chicago. The construction of the mansion, which faces Lake Michigan on Lake Shore Drive, established the Gold Coast neighborhood. It’s still one of the most affluent neighborhoods in the city. Be prepared to be bowled over,” he said, smiling.

Daniel wasn’t kidding. Briony looked through the windshield and gasped.

As he turned off the street and drove through a wrought iron gate with brick pillars on each side, her mouth dropped open. Up ahead was a three-story mansion built of stone that looked more like a European castle with its many turrets and minarets.

“Pretty spectacular, isn’t it?” he said.

She was stunned beyond words.

He stopped the car in the circular driveway in front of the manor. Two men dressed in gray coats and billed caps appeared at each of their respective doors. The one standing at the passenger side opened the door and assisted Briony out by the hand.

The other valet bowed and then opened the door for Daniel and outstretched his palm. “Good evening, Mr. Collier.”

Daniel placed his car keys in the man’s hand. “Good evening, Dawson.”

Briony noticed the subtle change in Daniel’s voice, and even the adjustment of his posture once he was outside the vehicle.

“Have a good evening, Mr. Collier,” the valet said, nodding.

“Thank you, Dawson.”

The valet folded his long body into Daniel’s Dodge, pressed upon the gas pedal, and disappeared around the corner with the vehicle.

Daniel stepped toward Briony and offered her his arm. “Everything at Dark Hall is high class. Sharlyn’s ancestors knew how to properly entertain, and she has continued their traditions. It’s all in the breeding, as you’ll see when you meet her.”

He appeared to have transformed from a typical middle class man with a seven-year-old car to a fellow of culture, simply by walking into the shadow of the Gothic mansion. Briony’s head angled when she realized the mansion’s massive outside door had been constructed without a lock and knob.

Daniel followed her gaze and chuckled. “The only way to get into Dark Hall is to be admitted from the inside. Wealthy people can’t be too careful.” He pushed a buzzer next to the door. When a voice crackled through an intercom speaker, he gave their names. “Daniel Collier and Miss Martin here for the séance.”