Elton Varfi - The Ghost Of Margaret Houg

“ She gave me the same impression as well when I saw her for the first time. But this happens because she has a too common face.” Roni said, happy that the conversation was taking another turn.

But he didn’t calculate Ernest's ability to keep anchored to a subject until he didn’t see the light.

“ I guess you know which newspapers wrote about Houg and his wife's death, right?”

“ Pretty much all of them, but now I don’t really remember which ones because it was more than a year ago. Tell me the truth Ernest, why are you asking me all these questions now? Why are you so interested in how Margaret Houg died?” Roni asked to his friend.

“ Because I’ll be the one to face Mrs. Houg’s ghost and I believe I should know how she died, don't you think?” the detective answered, staring at his friend’s eyes.

“ So that means you’ll accept the offer?” Roni asked impatiently.

“ Of course. How could I reuse an offer like this? I won’t even have to work a lot, since Houg already gave me two trails to follow.”

“ What would these two trails be?” Roni asked again.

“ One: there will have to be a logic explanation. Two: his son’s imagination could have caused everything…” Ernest replied, who looked a bit too nervous.

“ You don’t really like Mr. Houg, or am I wrong?”

“ Especially, he doesn't look like a very clean person.” Ernest replied again and continued “I’ve known him for a short while, but I think he’s not saying all the truth and I don’t like his arrogant way of speaking.”

“ Personally I think he’s very kind.” Roni commented.

“ It could be. But I didn’t like him trying to affect me, saying that maybe his son imagined everything.”

“ I don’t think Houg wanted to affect you. He’s just worried about the situation and he tried to give you his opinion about it. I don't see anything bad in this. Anyway when you think you’ll communicate your decision to Houg?”

“ As soon as possible; even though the story Houg is telling doesn't really convince me.”

“ Should you need my help, just ask me and I’ll be glad to give it to you.” Roni said, but Ernest was thinking and it seemed like he wasn't listening to him at all.

“ Okay, I understood, I won't talk anymore.” Roni replied and stayed silent.

At the same moment the phone rang and James Houg picked it up.

“ So?” voice asked from the other side of the line.

“ I think we can do it. I’ll give you an answer very soon.” Houg said.

“ Very good, Mr. Houg, I see you’re starting to understand.” His interlocutor replied and brutally hung up.

Houg was left with the phone in his hand for a few minutes, and then he put it down and gout out of the study.

Luisa didn't know what made her call Ernest and invite him to dinner. Now it was too late for a do-over, soon he would come to her. She knew that during dinner the conversation would have taken a turn that she definitely wouldn't like. Ernest would ask legitimate questions, but she wasn't ready to answer and he would feel bad once again. She was feeling stupid, but the thing that made her feel worse was that now she couldn't do anything anymore; she could just wait the collateral effects of her brilliant idea. She was thinking about these things when the doorbell rang.

Luisa went to open and she felt terribly guilty when she saw Ernest with a big rose bouquet in one hand and a bottle of wine in the other one.

“ The roses are for you, the wine is for me instead.” Ernest said, feeling the happiest man on Earth.

“ They're beautiful, but you didn't have to do all this.”

“ No trouble! You decided to assume the hard task of feeding me and this is the least I could do in return.” Ernest answered smiling.

Luisa was stunned in front of the door, grabbed the rose in her hands and she didn't know what to say. Ernest didn't look like he had lost his ability to speak and so asked: “We'd better get ourselves inside.”

“ Yes, of course, I’m sorry. Be my guest.” Luisa said, freeing the way.

“ It is nice, here, very delicious.” Ernest said as soon as he got in, but he didn't get a reply “You seem to be settling in all right” he kept talking.

“ Yeah, to be honest I'm doin' real good here,” Luisa replied, placing the flowers in a vase “It's not bad, really. I’m thinking about moving here. What do you say? ...Do you like the idea?”

“ I don't really think it’s a good idea that you…”

“ Hey, what's wrong with you? I’m kidding, Luisa! I haven't gone mad just yet.” Ernest interrupted her “Tell me the truth: you're not happy at all of having invited me, or am I wrong?”

“ No, no. But it makes me weird having dinner with you again after all this time.” Luisa said, trying to smile.

“ It's only been ten months, it's not a long time,” he muttered. “Anyway I really appreciated your invitation and I see nothin' wrong with having dinner together. It’s the most normal thing in the world to me and it doesn’t...”

“ When did you become such a talker?” Luisa interrupted him, smiling happily.

“ What do I spy with my eye? Luisa is smiling, I can't believe it.” Ernest said, kidding her.

Maybe you couldn't talk about proper laughs, but she certainly was friendlier. Ernest got closer and hugged her to manifest all his approval.

“ Everything good, then?” continued him “See, you don’t need too much to feel better.”

“ Well done, you became a talker with a wicked sense of humor. I wasn't expecting this from you.”

“ I know, unfortunately you have a wrong idea of me, but anyway...So, and what’s this delicious smell coming from the kitchen?”

“ You’ll see it in a while.” Luisa answered.

“ You're such a good cook. You cooked me such good things; even in these times I miss your meat dumplings…”

“ How's work?” Luisa interrupted him, as if she wanted to change topic, “Now you're a private investigator, aren’t you?”

“ Yeah, but to be honest I didn't have a lot to do. Recently, though, I received a serious offer.”

“ What is it about? If you don't mind me asking...” Luisa questioned.

“ I’ve to go chasing after a... woman.”

“ Some jealous husband sent you after his wife?” Luisa hypothesized, smiling, “I can't imagine you as a peeper.”

“ No, you're wrong, it's not about that. It would be easier. The thing is even more complicated than what it seems. Unfortunately I can't tell anything more.”

“ I understand, professional secret. I’m not asking you other questions. Now, we’d better enjoy our meal, I think dinner is ready.” Luisa said and went into the kitchen.

Ernest took a seat at the table and just as he was about to sit the phone rang. Luisa got out of the room and picked up the phone: “Hello? ...Yes, he's here. I’ll put him on. It’s for you.” She said to Ernest, who got up very surprised and curious about who was looking for him.

His surprise grew when from the other side of the phone he heard Roni’s voice.

“ Roni, what do you want?” he asked, “What happened?”

“ I know that this is not the right moment to bother you, but it happened again.”

“ What?”

“ The ghost appeared again and Mr. Houg is waiting for us.”

“ I don't care about the ghost, about Mr. Houg and about you, Roni. I haven't had dinner yet and I have no intention of moving from here. Okay?” Ernest answered very angry. Roni though had no intention in giving up.

“ I know that you’ll hate me to death, but in ten minutes I’ll be there, so I can take you to Mr. Houg’s house.”

Ernest couldn't believe it. He finally got to be alone with Luisa and Roni was ready to ruin everything because of that damn ghost that had found the right night to make her apparition.