The Inheritance: The Carmichael Case (Case 2.1)

Author’s Note: Welcome to a new case with The Inheritance! Today, the entire team (Xalen, Marty, Shelly, Daniel, Susan, Owen, and, of course, Rosetta) will investigate the second case in this series. Well, it’s not really their second case, but it’s the second one I’m writing about. lol I numbered this as 2.1 or Case 2, Day 1.

Even if you’ve never read any of the previous Inheritance, chapters, you can jump in here because each case is basically a story from beginning to end, and usually comprises two or more posts per case.

I hope you enjoy this delving into the paranormal!

Part 1: Jackie Carmichael

Hello, I’m Shelly Bingham and I’m a member of The Inheritance. Oh, you don’t remember what The Inheritance is? No problem, I’ll explain. This is the abridged version, though.

The Inheritance is a centuries-old society known only to its members. These members are hand-picked by each base leader who we call the ‘steward.’ There are bases or divisions of our society all over the world.

So, what do we do exactly? I’m glad you asked!

We solve paranormal problems, usually associated with various relics, but not always. We are comprised of scientists, philosophers, academics, and psychics, working together to keep supernatural forces where they belong instead of allowing them to run rampant and threaten society.

The steward of our branch is Dr. Xalen Sprague who has a PhD in anthropology. His wife Dr. Martha (Marty) Sprague also has a doctorate, and she is a linguist by trade. Our technical guy is Owen, and Daniel Knight is our ex-military man. He keeps me feeling safe. Susan Knight is married to Daniel and is also Marty’s sister. Xalen and Marty’s daughter Rosetta has crazy psychic abilities and often helps us out. Oh, and as I said, I’m Shelly, resident psychic.

Confused yet? Don’t worry, you’ll be able to put faces to names, eventually.

Welcome to the Carmichael Case!

At the team gathered in the three story library which served as the control room for our branch of The Inheritance, Xalen gazed at the sixteen-year-old in the snapshot once again. Her name was Jackie Carmichael, and she’d been the victim of a brutal attack. When we were finally seated, Xalen gave the snapshot to his wife Marty, first.

“Oh, my,” she murmured, holding a hand to her mouth, and passing the photo to the person seated next to her.

“That is Jacklynn Marie Carmichael,” Xalen began in a mild, indiscernible accent. “She is sixteen years old, lives with her parents in an affluent neighborhood, and attends a school for the musically gifted.”

“What happened to her?” I asked, tracing my finger along the poor girl’s battered cheek.

Xalen leaned over the heavy mahogany table, flipping pages in the report before him. “While she was home alone two nights ago, someone attacked her. She suffered contusions, mostly on her hands, arms, and face. Two lacerations on her face required stitches.”

“Why are we involved? We don’t deal with abuse cases.” Daniel asked as he skimmed over his copy of the doctor’s report. “How do we know she was alone? She could be covering for her parents or a boyfriend.”

“I thought as much, too,” Xalen said, “however, the girl swears by her story. The parents are well known, and respected yet they are facing criminal charges now that it involves Child Protective Services. They claim innocence, but also admit their daughter does not have a boyfriend.” Closing the file folder, his mouth formed a thin, grim line. “Marty, Shelly, and I will do the initial assessment. I want the rest of you to meet us there later in the evening with the equipment. Rosetta will join us as well once she has left a political rally she is working at.”

“I’ll get packed,” Marty said, standing.

Part 2: Shelly Bingham and the Orb

“Helen and Patricia Carmichael live with their daughter Jackie in the Lattimore mansion,” Marty said, reading from the research she’d pulled together. “The Lattimore mansion was built in 1874 by Franklin Lattimore, and his family has resided there until eighteen months ago when the last in the family line, Douglas Lattimore, lost the house to the bank for back taxes.”

“Do you think he might hold a grudge against the Carmichaels? They have his family home,” I asked. “Maybe he attacked Jackie.”

Xalen let out a breath as he parked along the curb in front of the large house. “Why wouldn’t Jackie tell the police or social services about him, then? It would clear her parents.” He turned the engine off and chewed his lower lip. “Text Owen and have him look into Douglas Lattimore.”

“Sure,” I said, unlocking my phone.

After Owen responded to my text, we were let into the house by Helen and Patricia Carmichael, Jackie’s parents. As the introductions and handshakes began, I was distracted by a small, white, light dancing near the ceiling just over Patricia’s left shoulder.

“Please, call me Patty.”

“Thank you for coming so quickly,” Helen said as she smoothed her bright green sweater. “I can’t tell you what this means to us.”

“It is no trouble,” Xalen said, shaking their hands and smiling.

I smiled slightly, as Xalen told them who I was, but I couldn’t stop staring at the orb shaped light. As I watched, it grew brighter and seemed to develop a pinkish tinge.

“Shelly?” Xalen asked.

“Sorry,” I mumbled, unable to tear my eyes away. “Is Jackie here now?”

“Why, yes. She’s upstairs resting,” Helen said.

“We’ll let her rest for now. Why don’t you tell us about your daughter?” Xalen said.

“Let’s sit down in the living room,” Patty suggested.

“Do you mind if I look around out here?” I asked.

“Of course.”

While Xalen and Marty joined the parents in the living room, I was close enough to hear their conversation. I remained in the hall, snapping pictures of the orb with my phone. As I moved closer to it, it moved further away.

“Jackie is a good and honest girl,” I heard Patty say. “She has excellent grades and practices her music for three hours every day after school without being told.”

“All the instruments you see in the house are hers,” Helen added.

“When did you move here?” Marty asked.

“Only three months ago. It was the beginning of the school year. Jackie has auditioned for this school three times. Finally, she gained admittance,” Helen said. “Patty and I are antique dealers and appraisers. When we saw how cheaply we could get this house, it seemed a perfect fit.”

“You must be very proud,” Marty said.

To my dismay, the orb faded, then disappeared, so I wandered back to the living room where I observed the conversation from the doorway.

“Oh, yes, we are,” Patty said.

“You’re certain no one was here with her when the attack occurred?” Xalen asked.

“Well, someone must have been,” Patty said, dabbing at her teary eyes with a tissue. “I can’t understand why Jackie won’t tell us who it was. We are this close to losing her.”

“And, you have no notion of who that person may have been?” Xalen asked.

“No-“

“-I think there is something in this house! That’s why she won’t tell us. She thinks we won’t believe her!” Helen said.

Marty and Xalen shared a glance as Patty slapped her open hand against her thigh. “That is ridiculous! Do you know how crazy you sound? If you repeat that to Child Protective Services, they’ll take her away for sure!”

“It’s… not unheard of,” Marty said. “What I mean to say is that sometimes the explanation to strange events is also strange.”

“And that’s where we come in,” Xalen said. “We will sort this out.”

“Anything you can do… it would mean so much,” Helen said.

“Of course.”

Part 3: The Musical Prodigy

I went upstairs as Owen and Daniel arrived to place their equipment. Soon, Xalen would gather us all up to discuss our findings thus far.

The house had three stories and a cellar. It would be up to me to explore every square inch. It was in the second-floor hall that I spotted the peculiar light again, hovering in front of an archway. At first, I kept my distance so I could monitor it. For me, observing something included what I could see and feel.

So far, I only felt uneasy, as if it was watching me closely, too.

All at once, a teenage girl emerged through the archway, saw me, and said, “Oh!”

I smiled. “Your parents said you were resting.”

The girl rolled her eyes and snorted. “They think that’s the answer to everything. Are you upset? Go rest. Nervous? Lie down for a while. It drives me crazy!” Then her eyes narrowed. “Who are you?”

“My name is Shelly. Your moms called me and my friends here, hoping we could help in some way.”

Without a word, she and the orb turned and went into her bedroom. I followed as a chill ran down my neck, standing the hairs at my nape on edge.

“Do you really think you can help?”

As I stood in front of her, another chill washed over me. “I would like to. Will you allow me to help?”

“If you can, that’d be great because I can’t miss a lot of school, and I can’t lose my parents. Did you know social services are threatening to take me away?”

Despite the glowing orb and the uneasiness in the pit of my stomach, I kept my voice calm, soft and low. “I heard your moms talking about it. They’re very worried.”

Her lips turned downward, and her eyes filled with tears. “I’m worried, too. They think I’m lying. Did they tell you that?”

“No,” I said. “I think they’re confused because you said you were alone when you were attacked.”

She wiped her eyes on the back of her hand as a sob shook her shoulders. “Yes… I… “

“Shh,” I said, “all I need is for you to tell me exactly what happened. No judgies, I promise.”

After hesitating for what seemed an eternity, she finally said, “I wasn’t alone. Something was here.”

“Something?”

Jackie nodded. “Some thing. I couldn’t see it but it hurt me.”

As soon as she admitted this, the orb pulsed, turning from whitish-pink to red, and I felt immense anger in the room. The temperature dropped almost instantly until I could see my breath.

“It’s here now!” she cried.

Pulling her into my arms, I hurried her downstairs, past her parents and my team, and outside into the sunshine and fresh air.

Part 4: Assembling the Team

Everyone but Rosetta was here. As we waited, I filled Daniel and Owen in.

“So, I sent the family to a hotel in the city where they’re staying now until we’re finished.”

“That was a good idea,” Daniel said as he glanced at his watch.

“She’s here!” Marty called.

Susan and Xalen rushed to the door as Rosetta came in.

“I apologize for my lack of punctuality,” Rosetta said in her Rosetta way. “The rally was a success!”

“Congratulations, dear,” Marty said, giving her daughter a peck on the cheek.

“Well done,” Xalen said with a nod.

“Aunt Susan, you look ravishing.”

Susan’s cheeks filled with a crimson heat as she giggled. “You do, too.”

“Yes,” Rosetta agreed. “What an exquisite old house.”

“It’s something, isn’t it? The family isn’t here,” Marty said.

Xalen cleared his throat. “Shall we begin? Everyone, please join me in the dining room.

Once we were seated, Xalen asked me to begin. So, I told them about seeing the strange light, speaking with Jackie, then hurrying her outdoors for fear she’d be injured again.

“Do you think whatever hurt her followed her to the hotel?” Marty asked.

“No. It’s definitely still here,” I said. “I can feel it.”

Xalen turned to Owen and asked him to tell us what he’d found out in his research of Douglas Lattimore.

Owen looked uncomfortable as he zipped his gray hoodie up to his neck. He doesn’t know it- or should I say, he doesn’t want to know that he’s psychic. My job would be a lot easier if he realized because we could compare notes.

He cleared his throat, then said, “Douglas Lattimore is the last living descendant of the Lattimores. He’s in his sixties, never married, never had children. He was born in this house, and lived here his entire life until eighteen months ago when the bank foreclosed on the house. He now lives in a one-bedroom apartment in town and hates his neighbors. After reading all of the complaints he’s lodged against them with the police, I’m sure they feel the same about him.”

“He sounds pleasant,” Daniel smirked.

“We need to interview him. He is in his sixties, but Jackie is a small girl, easily overpowered,” Xalen said. “Daniel, Susan, I’d like you to get on that tomorrow, first thing.”

They nodded, and Susan pulled her planner out.

Rosetta was surprisingly quiet during this meeting. But now, she turned toward the rest of us and asked me, “What color was the orb?”

“It was white with kind of red aura.” Addressing those not in the know, I added, “Red auras can signify a strong will or survival. But in this instance, it is a muddy red which indicates anger.”

Rosetta took a deep breath, staring at nothing. Then said, “This presence is not angry.” She glanced from one of us to the other, then said, “It is resentful, outraged, bitter. If we do not destroy it, it will destroy the girl.”

Notes:

Woot! I hope you enjoyed this entry in The Inheritance! I had so much fun with this. 🙂 The plan is for Day 2 to be published next Wednesday, June 5!

See you then!