The Screaming Lady, A JEZ Ghost Negotiator Mystery

Chapter Ten: CONNECTION

Jessica was sitting in the booth, contemplating. Elizabeth and Zakary were staring at her, giving her time to collect her thoughts. After Jessica does her "brain-invasion" thing, she commonly needs time to collect her thoughts, to put words to what she felt.

Elizabeth and Zakary waited patiently. They had already gone around the Diner and cleaned up all of their technological equipment, realizing that they had not captured any information. Some of the recording equipment recorded "their" voices, but that was all. The video cameras were in bad shape but could be salvaged, Zakary was sure that insurance would cover them. He made sure to collect all the little broken pieces that were scattered all over the floor as well.

With everything cleaned up and packed away, they were waiting on the crucial information they were hoping would break this case; Jessica just had to give it up.

Jessica rubbed her temples, soothed her hair back and readjusted her ponytail. She drummed her fingers against the table and stared out the window. She laid her head on the table and covered her neck with her hands as she massaged the back of her neck. This went on for approximately forty minutes.

Zakary leaned over to Elizabeth and whispered, "she is so dramatic when she holds all the information and knows that we have to wait on her to give it up."

Jessica glared at Zakary, she then said, "Fine!" Elizabeth giggled.

Zakary and Elizabeth sat up, to show that they were listening attentively.

Jessica said in an exhausted tone as if she had run a full marathon, "Remember, I was only in there a VERY brief moment before she flashed out of here; before that, she had a wall up that was strong and hostile."

Zakary said, "Ok, we got all that, so what did you see?"

Jessica sighed, "I am not sure what this means? But," she paused, "I saw Rosie Blanchard."

Zakary and Elizabeth both looked at each other, then back at her, together they both said, "WHAT?"

Jessica reiterated, "In her mind, she had a memory of Rosie Blanchard, sitting at one of these booths, looking out the window. That's it, that is all I was able to see."

"That makes absolutely no sense!" Zakary said, "if it is her Great Grandmother, she would not even know that Rosie existed, how would she have a memory of her?"

Jessica looked down at the table, "I know, I know, that is what I have been tossing around in my mind. Did I really see that, could it have seen something different? But no, that is exactly who I saw in her memory. Additionally, it was Rosie of approximately the age she is now."

Elizabeth sat back into the booth seat, contemplating the information she had just received. "Zakary, did Rosie ever mention coming to the Diner?"

Zakary shook his head and chuckled, "Nope. Plus, she does not seem to be the type that would come to a Diner, she would be more the "Country Club" type."

Elizabeth was pursing her lips, and tapping her finger against her temple, staring at Jessica, "Well, it seems as if our Screaming Lady has some sort of connection to Rosie Blanchard, aside from being her Great G-ma, and we will need to figure out what it is to break this case."

Not to waste any time, they pulled up to the Blanchard Mansion and in unison said, "Wow!"

The home was in excellent condition for being as old as it was, it had been very well kept and updated through the years.

Jessica asked Zakary, "Does Rosie have any children?"

Zakary said, "No, she said that she was so disturbed by all the Blanchard women that went "Mad" when their children passed away, that she decided not to get married or have children because she did not want to go mad. It is kinda sad really."