Blackvine Manor Mystery by Wendy Meadows Page B

he wants to say something else to Alexis but pops his mouth closed and continues down the hallway. She watches, frozen, until they open the wide door and climb upstairs to the penthouse. In seconds she is ripping off her shoes and running down the hallway to hear what they are saying.
    “Was that the Miss Cole from the news stories?”
    “Yes.”
    “She doesn’t look like addiction is a problem in her life, does she? Maybe she can actually see what other people can’t?” Mr. Wells wonders aloud.
    Maxwell ignores his train of thought completely. “Here is the penthouse. As you can see, it is spectacular when the sun hits the cupola. Actually it is light and sunny up here all day.”
    Alexis peeks her head just over the stair rail, far enough to confirm what was hinted at last night. The penthouse glows with comfortable elegance. Even empty it is warm and inviting.
    The potential buyer sniffles slightly. “My sister would have loved it.”
    “Would have?” Maxwell pauses after opening the French doors to the dining room.
    Mr. Wells continues, almost to himself, though loud enough that Alexis can hear, “She loved plants, and reading, and was always writing letters. Anywhere she lived was always sunny and bright.”
    Maxwell clears his throat quietly then coughs outright when Mr. Wells turns to him and makes a wildly generous offer to buy the building. “You have a deal. I’m so glad you love the place so much. I’m sure your sister will love it.”
    “Oh, my dearly departed sister won’t be seeing it. I plan to raze the building and develop a shopping center.” He turns on his heel and heads towards the stairs.
    Alexis makes it down to the second floor just in time, rushing to George’s door. He opens it, looking blurry-eyed and confused.
    “He’s selling the place. There’s already an offer.” Alexis pushes into George’s apartment and perches on a chair covered in extension cords.
    “What place?”
    “Blackvine Manor! Maxwell is selling it. And if he does I’m never going to find out what happened to my mother.”
    George pushes his glasses up the bridge of his nose. “Nothing much will change; the new owner can’t kick us out. He might change the hallway carpet or something.”
    “I just heard the new owner say he’s going to raze the building and develop a shopping center! George, what are we going to do?”
    “Check the zoning? I don’t think he can do that here.” George puts both hands on top of his wild, black hair. “Or convince the world this place is really haunted.”
    He warms to the idea. “If we capture real evidence maybe it will scare the buyer away or convince him this place is worth more than a strip mall. I’ll make us a website and ghost-hunters from all over will want to check it out. They’ll pay for tours.”
    Alexis jumps up. “Okay. You get all your equipment ready for tonight.”
    “Where are you going?”
    “To learn everything about ghost hunting, we’re going to prove this place is haunted tonight.”

Chapter Fifteen
    “ T HIS IS CRAZY ,” ALEXIS SAYS, feeling tight-throated. “It’s a long shot even if we capture anything. Maxwell wants this place sold and advertising real ghosts is not going to save it.”
    She and George have been sitting on the bench in the courtyard for nearly four hours with nothing to show but boredom and worry.
    “We could try putting it on the national registry of historic places?” George wonders.
    “What history? A woman whose own family let her disappear without a fuss and has kept quiet even after she was found?” Alexis sweeps both hands over her hair and slumps further down on the bench.
    “What?” she whispers back at George who is suddenly slumping down next to her.
    “The camera is picking something up.”
    “What about the thermal?”
    George smiles. “Hey, listen to you. You really did your ghost-hunting homework.”
    Alexis checks that her digital recorder is working in case there is any Electronic Voice