The Mystery at Sag Bridge

Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Cora was making de-cluttering progress, sorting old magazines for the trash, when she was interrupted by the phone. Irritated, she hurried to her office to pick it up, tripping over a pile on the floor and narrowly avoiding a fall. Why was she killing herself to get to the phone? It was probably only Rachel from Cardholder Services for the umpteenth time this week, wanting to alert her to some bogus problem with her un-named credit card. Telemarketers should realize how inconsiderate, not to say dangerous, they are, she thought.

"Hello?" she said as she grabbed the handset, her irritation clear.

"Is this Cora Tizzy?" the caller asked.

"Tozzi...who's calling?" Cora said, reluctant to give information to an unknown caller.

"This is Megan Flynn from the News Local. Is this Cora?"

"Yes...," she admitted cautiously. She subscribed to the News Local, a weekly newspaper.

"I'm calling to verify a story. You're running for re-election to the Lemont Library Board?"

"Yes, I am." Cora allowed a smile. The election was the following week, and she was pleased the paper was covering it at last. She began to move randomly about the room.

"Do you confirm or deny that you believe in ghosts, and are regularly visited by a spirit?" Megan asked.

"I'm sorry...what?" The smile abruptly disappeared.

"We've been informed you believe in ghosts. Did you speak about a visitation at the historical society's Fright Night?"

"Oh that!" She gave a short chuckle. "Yes, I told a story that night. It was all in fun. We tell scary stories once a year before Halloween."

"Then it wasn't a true story? Didn't you tell it as if it was true?" the reporter persisted.

"Well, yes...I did say it was true-but again, it was all in fun."

"So it wasn't true then?"

"You know, just about everyone has had an experience they can't explain," Cora evaded, her brow furrowed.

"Okay, then it's true-I'll go with that. What about a ghost, named Angel, I believe, who you claim has been visiting you for years?"

"Who told you that?" Cora demanded. She froze in place and felt her face growing hot.

"I'm sorry, I don't reveal sources. Is that ghost true too?"

"Not like you describe it, no. Again, sometimes things happen I can't explain. I joked about it with friends, and we gave it a name, Angel. I wouldn't call it a ghost."