Chapter Four
When time for bed Ashley was so spooked she refused to sleep in her room alone. We decided to both sleep in the living room; me on the couch and her on the loveseat. We laid quietly, listening to every little creak the house made. The silence was getting to me but I didn't want to talk just in case Ashley was sleeping.
"You sleeping?" She whispered.
"No."
"You scared?" She whispered again.
"No." I lied. "Haven't you watched the history channel. Real ghosts aren't mean. They just do weird shit around the house." I'm not sure if I was trying to convince her or myself.
I don't know exactly what time I fell asleep, but next thing I knew daylight was invading the living room. I looked over and saw Ashley sound asleep. After freshening up, I made breakfast. Ashley came in the kitchen looking like total hell.
"Are you afraid to shower too?" I laughed.
"Shut up. I just woke up and wanted some coffee butt hole."
She made herself a cup then went to freshen up. She wanted to go back to Jackson Square. I told her I would since the Raiders game didn't come on until 3pm. That didn't get a good response either.
On the way to Gale's she told me a couple ideas she had about her 'experiences'. One was, she noticed that it only happened when she was upstairs in the attic. I asked her why she was in the attic on Saturday and she said she wanted to read more of Isabelle's diary. She was sitting in the same chair then next thing she knew, she woke up on the bed in the old dress.
I asked her what was in the diary and she told me how Isabelle seemed to have a crush on Mr. Du Bois. Isabelle wrote that he was very attentive and could tell that his wife didn't like her very much. Isabelle made an entry every evening in the diary and Ashley had already read a couple months worth. I thought about how risky it was for Isabelle to keep a diary around documenting her feeling towards Mr. Du Bois. But Ashley thinks that's why the diary was so vague on the subject. If something had happened, Isabelle would be crazy to say it outright.
When we got to Gale's office there was a closed sign on the door. Ashley knocked but no one answered. Neither of us thought to call and see if she was open. Ashley called the number on the door but no one answered. I could tell she was upset. She thought Gale was going to solve everything; tell her what to do and it would all be over. I tried to get her to walk around the Quarter with me but she just wasn't into sightseeing that day; so we went back home.
We didn't say much on the drive. When we got home, I grabbed a case file and set the TV on the Saints game. Since Oakland was on later, there was no reason I couldn't support the local team. Ashley went upstairs then returned with a book in her hands. It was Isabelle's diary. She read on the couch next to me while I sifted through my file. Next time I looked her way, she was napping. I turned the TV down so it wouldn't wake her. I knew she didn't get much rest the night before.
I went to get something to drink and when I got back to the living room she was gone. She must have gone upstairs to sleep. Maybe she wasn't as afraid as I thought; or she just stopped caring. At halftime of the Oakland game I walked upstairs to check on her. The game wasn't going worth a damn anyway. Sometimes I wonder why I keep watching football, it can be very stressful.
Ashley wasn't in her room. She wasn't in the bathroom either. I know she can't be in the attic. She told me she wasn't going up there again. I eased the open and walked up the steps. When I got to the top my heart dropped to my stomach. There she was, facing away from me wearing another old dress. She was powdering her face in a mirror and was situated so she couldn't see me. I didn't know if I should say anything or not. I turned toward the door.
"Oh! tu m'as fait peur!" She said in perfect french. She was staring directly at me. "You scare me Mr. Du Bois. You say you wait till later to come up."
I didn't know what to say, or if I should say anything at all.
"Um, what are you doing?" It was the only thing I could think to say.
"I get ready for you." She said.
"For me?"
"Yes you. I make myself pretty. You like?" She was wearing a very heavy coating of makeup.
I was still at a loss for words. I wanted to ask if I could talk to Ashley, but I had enough sense to know that was a stupid question.
"What is matter with you Mr. Du Bois?" She looked confused or maybe it was concern.
"Um. I. Um." I looked around the room not knowing what to say. I was afraid but also concerned for Ashley. I knew she wasn't in control of herself, I wanted to make sure she didn't get hurt somehow. She stood up and started walking towards me. I think my legs were actually shaking. I was really hoping she didn't go all 'The Shinning' on my ass. Her dress was unbuttoned down to the top of her breast, which looked like they were going to burst from behind the straining buttons.
"What are you doing Ash?" She stopped within inches from me and looked confused.
"What is this name you call me?"
We just stood there. 'What do I do? What am I supposed to call her. I don't even know for sure if this is Isabelle. What if I say the wrong name again and she goes postal.' Okay, maybe I was being a little paranoid but its not like I had lots of experience with this sort of thing.
"If you no want to see me, why you here?" She looked hurt.
"Um. I. Isabelle." I waited for a reaction, but she just looked up at me as if waiting for me to say more.
"I'm sorry. I've had a long day and I just need to get some rest." I saw the tears building in her eyes.
She turned and walked back towards her dressing table. What the hell? I started towards the stairs, hoping that it would pass like it had the last few times. Halfway down the steps I heard a loud shattering noise. I ran back up and she was sitting on her chair facing the same direction the mirror used to be. Her fist was bloody and she was crying in her hands.
"What happened?" I called out as I hurried to her. She didn't answer. When she saw me coming she grabbed a piece of shattered glass and aimed for her wrist. I caught her hand just in time and swung her out of the chair. Raising her hand above her head I shook her wrist hard making her drop the glass. She started screaming at me violently.
"Why you fuck me if you no want me? Why Mr. Du Bois?" She was sobbing. She started slapping at my face so I pushed her back on the bed and held her down. I was laying on one of her arms and pulling the other around me. Her face was pressed against my back as I held her arm down trying to keep her from hitting me again.
"Isabelle! Stop it! I didn't mean it like that!" She stopped struggling and just cried. I was too afraid to let her up so I pulled a sheet from the bed and wrapped it around her hand hoping to stop the bleeding. I laid on top of her arm until she stopped crying. When her breathing became even, I sat up to look at her. She was sleeping.
I was in total shock at what had just happened. Not only does Isabelle think I'm her employer, she thinks I slept with her. Was she trying to kill herself? It was all too much to comprehend. And worst of all, I didn't know shit about how to fix it. Not only that, I was really worried for Ashley. I didn't want her taking any more risks. I need to seal off the attic. As I was contemplating what to do, I heard her move.
"Hey." She barely got the word out before she blurted. "What the fuck!"