Peyton always struggled with her own personal demons, but when asked on a case where she had to
deal with the demons of it’s former resident, it was another level of difficulty. This case saw the
struggles of Olivia too who was coming to realise that the practical side of ghost hunting left a lot to
be desired for her own personal safety.
We’re going back to Eileen and Janice, the mother and daughter who have a strained but accepting
relationship, as they recount what happened during that time in their lives.
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Janice stepped into her mum’s house and caught a whiff of tobacco. Freezing, her heart thudded in
her chest until her gaze found the old pipe which sat on the windowsill. Her mum left it around the
house in various locations as a familiar comfort. Every time Janice came in, the pipe was in a
different place and every time it scared her.
“That you, Jan?” Her mum shouted from the front room.
Janice took a deep breath, forcing herself to relax, and stepped into the dark living room. She’d long
ago given up trying to persuade her mum to think about redecorating and accepted that the house
was a time warp. The darkness in the room seemed to swallow her up.
Her mum was in her chair, feet up on a stood and the TV blaring. “Hi, Mum.”
“What? Speak up!” Her mum was cupping her hand to hear ear as she stared at Janice.
Janice picked up the TV remote and knocked the volume down. “I said, hi, Mum.”
“Put the kettle on, Jan, I’m dying for a coffee.”
Dutiful, Janice dumped her bag and stepped into the kitchen. She set about making coffee and
brought it through on a tray along with an assortment of biscuits, setting it down in front of her
mum.
“Thanks, dear.” Her mum picked up her worn china cup, the one she refused to get rid of because it
had been a gift from her husband. She slurped and set it back on the tray. “That’s hot.”
“You want some cold water in it?”
“No. It’ll cool.” Her mum shook her head. “I’ve been having a tidy. Did you notice?”
“A tidy?” Janice frowned. “I just came to clean the whole house at the weekend.”
“Don’t you listen? I said tidy not clean,” she snapped.
Saying nothing, Janice dunked a biscuit in her coffee, something her mum particularly hated.
Without taking the bait, she went on. “Did you see I put Eric’s pipe just on the windowsill as you
come in? When I come through the door it’s a really nice reminder, you know. Or when I’m going up
to bed at night. It’s like he’s greeting me.”
“I smelled it before I saw it.” Janice wrinkled her nose.
“Isn’t it wonderful. I bet it reminds you of your dad.”
“I’m not so sure that’s a good thing.”
“Janice! That’s your father.”
“I don’t know about you but our last encounter with dad wasn’t the most pleasant.”
Her mum huffed. “That’s wasn’t him. Not really.”
“I’d beg to differ.”
“Have you seen that lovely girl?”
“Who? Peyton?”
Her mum nodded.
“No. She’s a ghost hunter, mum. We’d only see her if we ever happen to get another ghost.”
“Well you might not be waiting too long.”
“Mum!”
“I’m not getting any younger.” She shook her head. “But I promise not to haunt you or you have full
warrant to get Peyton and the other one—”
“Olivia.”
“Yes, Olivia, out again.”
“Well, thanks.” Janice rolled he eyes.
“Do you think she’s okay?”
“Who?”
“Peyton.”
“I’m sure she’s fine, mum.”
“Good. I liked her. She was good to us.” Her mum settled back with the cup cradled in her hands.