The Ghosts of Greenville

CHAPTER ONE

Gail counted to one hundred, listening to Tony’s familiar snoring. She had rehearsed this moment so many times, yet her heart still beat nervously in her chest. She had a plan, yes, but she hadn’t saved enough money yet. And winter was coming. She should really wait until spring. But last night told her it was time. Now.

“Yeah, I killed the bastard. He wanted the stuff. Said he’d tell the boss.”

“Hell, Tony, that’s Jenkin’s nephew! Don’t you think they’re going to find out? They’ll be all over your ass.”

Gail had heard Tony and some man arguing on the rickety old front porch of their rental house. Catching bits and pieces of their conversation, she had crept closer to the door, trying to listen.

“He wanted to take them from me, man. I’m the one who found them! It’s my ass on the line! I had no choice, man. He said he’d tell them what I found if I didn’t split it with him. Hell, why should he get a cut? I found them! You and Charlie helped me get them out. Nobody else gets a cut but us three!”

“What did you do with them?”

“They’re hidden. In a good place. Nobody will find them, even if we got caught on camera. But I need you to help us get rid of the body. Charlie has him. We need to go—”

“Oh, hell no. You’re on your own. I don’t want no part of that shit, Tony.”

“You get your ass back here!” Tony yelled. “You owe me!”

“I don’t owe you shit! You and Charlie can clean up your own mess. I’m out!”

The squealing of tires told her that the man had left. She spun on her heels, intending to go back into the kitchen when the front door slammed open. She turned, seeing her husband’s angry eyes on her.

“What the hell you doin’? You spyin’ on me, girl?”

She held her hands up defensively, warding off the expected blow. “No, Tony. I was coming to tell you dinner was ready.”

He came closer, staring into her eyes. The blow was quick and hard, and it stung her cheek. “Get me my whiskey. I don’t want any of that damn slop you’ve cooked up.”

She squeezed her eyes shut for a moment, still listening to his snoring. She’d reached her breaking point, hadn’t she? Oh, who was she kidding? She’d reached her breaking point a year ago, two even. She’d been stashing money away—she had some cash. She could slip away while he was passed out. She could do it tonight. How far would she get? She opened her eyes. It didn’t matter. They had to get away. Some place where she could think. Maybe she would get the nerve to call an attorney and file for divorce. She swallowed, remembering the beating she’d taken just last month when she’d told him she would leave him. No. Tony would never let her divorce him. He’d said as much.

“I’ll hunt you down like a wounded deer if you leave me. Don’t even think about it, Gail. I own you. The only way you’ll leave me is in a fucking body bag.”

Tony was mixed up in something bad now. And he’d apparently killed a man. No, she didn’t doubt that, judging by the people he hung around with. So she had to get away. She ran her tongue over her busted lip, feeling the scab that had formed overnight. Surely to god this would be the last time.

She rolled slowly and quietly to the side of the bed, pausing as her feet touched the cold floor. His snoring hitched—stopping—and she stood deathly still, waiting. Then he started snoring again, and she took a tentative step away from the bed. Her knee hurt from where he’d kicked her, but she ignored the pain.

Their bags were packed. She’d stashed them in the back of Katie’s closet weeks ago. She moved into the bathroom and dressed quietly in the darkness. She slung her purse over her shoulder, jumping as it banged into the door. She paused again, glancing at the bed. Fear threatened to paralyze her, and she had to force herself to move—away from the bed, away from him.

She closed the door quietly, only then letting out a relieved breath. Then she sprang into action, nearly running to Katie’s room. She sat on the bed, gently shaking her.

“Katie, wake up, honey,” she whispered. “Wake up.”

Katie finally opened her eyes. “What’s wrong?”

“Come on. We’re leaving.”

Katie sat up, leaning on an elbow. “Leaving?”

“I’ll explain later. Come on, Katie. And we must be very quiet.”

“Daddy?”

“No. Just us.”

Katie was only eight, but she wasn’t stupid. She knew what was going on. She nodded as she crawled out from under the covers. Gail opened the closet, shoving Katie’s clothes aside. The large backpack stuffed with their supplies was almost too heavy for her to carry. A smaller pack held some of Katie’s things. She took out the packs, then opened the side zipper of hers, relieved to find the wad of cash still there. She’d been saving it a dollar at a time for the last few years. It wasn’t much—a few thousand dollars, but it was enough to get them out of here.

“Momma, what are we doing?”

She grabbed her daughter’s shoulders and faced her, the tiny nightlight not providing enough light to see her clearly.

“We’re going away, honey. Just us.” She squeezed harder. “Do you understand?”

“Daddy hit you again last night,” she stated matter-of-factly.

Gail ducked her head. “Yes,” she whispered hoarsely. “The last time. We’ve got to go.” She pulled the small backpack from the closet. “Here. Take this. Be so very quiet, honey. Please?”

Katie stared at her in the shadows. “He’s gonna be mad, Momma. Real mad.”

“Yes, I know.”

Katie stared at her for a long time, then nodded. She grabbed Freddie—her stuffed dog—from her bed and tucked him under her arm. The sight of that made her heart ache. Katie had begged for a pet, a dog, for so long now, but Tony wouldn’t hear of it. Last year she had finally bought the stuffed toy, a floppy-eared golden dog with shaggy fur. They had both cried when she gave it to her, but Freddie had been Katie’s constant companion since then.

Gail nodded back at her, then slung the heavy backpack over her shoulder and guided Katie through the house. She wasn’t sad to be leaving. They’d only been living there for ten months. It didn’t feel like home. When she opened the front door, Katie tugged on her shirt.

“Are you sure, Momma?”

“Yes. Come on, honey. Let’s hurry.”

Her heart was hammering so loudly in her ears, she had no idea if they were being quiet or not. Every sound seemed inordinately loud to her. She tossed her backpack into the back seat of her car, then settled Katie up front with her. She paused only a moment before starting the car and backing out of the carport. Into the night they fled, leaving the outskirts of Victor behind as she headed northwest toward Cripple Creek. She wouldn’t feel safe until Cripple Creek and its casinos were behind her as well, but right then, she felt such a sense of relief that she let tears fall from her eyes. As she drove, she felt Katie’s small hand touch her arm, squeezing tightly.

She looked over at her, smiling through her tears. “I think we made it. I think we’re going to be okay, honey.”

“Where are we going?”

“We’re going to go camping. Would you like that?”

“I don’t know. I’ve never been.”

She smiled at her daughter. “Neither have I.”

Probably a crazy plan but it was all she could think of. She couldn’t go to her mother. Her mother loved Tony. And why not? He was exactly like her father. Her mother knew all too well what went on behind closed doors.

Michele R.
Overall, this was brilliant story by Gerri Hill with very creative storytelling. As I was reading this book, I was constantly amazed that an author who can make a reader cry reading The Apple Diary or The Secret Pond, that can have a reader contemplating who-dun-it while reading Red Tide at Heron Bay, can also write this horror masterpiece.

Fiona S.
The Ghosts of Greenville is a brilliant story with some wonderful twists and turns that totally kept me turning the pages until there were no more pages to turn.

Henriette M.
Gerri Hill brings us up into the mountains of Colorado to the isolated and sparsely populated ghost town of Greenville. I loved the setting, the scenery, the close-knit community and the characters. Against this backdrop an unusual genre mix which was fun to read is unfolding: a slow-burn, second-chance romance, a large pinch of suspense and a paranormal ghost story.