The Screaming Lady, A JEZ Ghost Negotiator Mystery

Chapter One: THE DINER

Sitting across from her sister as she talked incessantly on her cell phone was irritating Jessica to no end. She interrupted her twice by throwing soggy french fries at her head, and loudly whispering to remind her that this was a paying job, but Elizabeth just kept on with her call, giggling, talking and whispering to whomever was on the other end. Jessica never could understand how she could talk on the phone as much as she does. It seems as though that phone was permanently affixed to her ear. After minutes that seemed like hours, finally, Elizabeth hung up.

"WHAT!?" Elizabeth exclaimed.

"Do you have to stay on that brick when we are on a paying job?" Jessica asked, obviously frustrated.

Elizabeth shrugged, huffed and slurped at her strawberry milkshake, giving Jessica a funny look then tucking her feet up under her as she adjusted her seated position. Her golden blond hair was affixed perfectly in a curled updo to rival any Hollywood actress. She was dressed in a dusty pink suit; complete with suit jacket, white ruffled blouse and slacks that match the suit jacket. To top off her wardrobe, of course, white pumps and a bag to match. Elizabeth never left the house without looking perfect, perfect hair, nails, outfit, she was dressed to the "9's." One could always hear her say: that if you do not look perfectly professional, then no one will take you as perfectly professional; you have to look the part, to get the part. Her confidence was over the top!

Jessica on the other hand, also very beautiful, but was a little more boho, in jeans, graphic t-shirt, and Bob's. She mostly keeps her hair swept up behind her head in a ponytail, unless she is at home, then it is in a messy bun on top of her head. Her hair is chestnut brown, with streaks of red, and wavy down to below her shoulders, all one length. Her nails are natural but neatly kept. Both girls are petite, a size zero at their largest, and if they had the same style, would probably share clothes, but as it is, neither one would dream of dressing like the other.

"So how long do we have to sit here before something will happen?" Elizabeth asked as she was picking at the plate in front of her careful to avoid any of the fries that had ketchup on them, she did not like any type of condiments.

"I don't know; they say that she show's up here and there once the sun goes down; I am pretty sure she does not have a watch." Jessica shot back, throwing Elizabeth a look of frustration.

So, they waited, sitting in the booth of the old Diner, picking at each other out of boredom as sisters normally do. About two hours passed and they were getting tired and frustrated; and at this point their bellies were full of milkshakes and greasy spoon french fries.

Elizabeth, not patient, in any form of the imagination, was texting on her phone, she finally slammed down her phone on the table and said, "I'm done! It would seem that she is not coming!" She went to rise from her seated position, and said, "I will just see you tomorrow."

Jessica exclaimed, "Really! You are just going to leave, right now...."

Then, as if on cue... the Diner atmosphere changed drastically. The temperature dropped drastically, it was instantly so cold that both Jessica and Elizabeth could see their breath turn to clouds in front of their face as they exhaled. The radio that was playing very low behind the Diner counter stopped and the silence in the Diner was now deadening. Ice crystals were forming on the windows, the crackling sounds that the ice made was all the sound in the room, a shiver went through Jessica and Elizabeth simultaneously, as they stared at each other.

Jessica said, "um, Elizabeth, you might want to rethink that, I think our job just actually started?"

Elizabeth turned around and four booths away, just on the other side of the entrance door to the Diner sat a lady, if you could call her that. She was dressed in a period dress of around the 1800s, but the dress had seen much better days. The dress was tattered, faded and very worn. It had a high collar with lace around the top, long sleeves, again lace; the color of the dress looked to be black or dark grey, but it was slightly billowing as if there was a breeze coming through the Diner, yet the Diner was eerily still, save for the shaking that Elizabeth and Jessica was doing due to the extreme cold.