"Pat shook her head. "That's the French Quarter, darlin'. Never a dull
moment."
"As Pat began to go through the selection of keys on her chain, searching for the one that opened the gate, Danica took in the surrounding street.
"Directly across from the cottage was the famed Madame John's Legacy. Built in 1788, the older French Colonial style mansion was a reflection of the architectural traditions of those who had learned to adapt to the semitropical Louisiana climate. The exterior had been heavily stuccoed to keep the home insulated, while a shady, green wooden balcony ran along the second story to allow cooling breezes to flow through the living quarters during the hot summer months.
"To the left, a traditional three-story Creole Townhouse made of stucco and red brick boasted classic New Orleans decorative black wrought iron balconies on its
second and third floors.
"Nothing has changed," Danica softly said."Since Katrina nothing has been the same. So many people left. I couldn't keep track of the properties we had listed down here. I've never seen so much stuff going up for sale or for rent in the Quarter, and I've lived here most of my life. After that, the taxes, utilities, and insurance went sky high. What the storm didn't drive away, the city government did. Took me damn near a year to get a permit to redo my house in Lakeview, and even then the cooper wiring got stolen from the place twice, along with anything else that wasn't nailed down."
"...After a swift kick of Pat's black high-heeled shoe, the gate slowly opened with a resistant groan. "What Katrina did to New Orleans was a lot worse than any TV camera could ever capture. I'll never forget the smell after the storm. Damned stench hung over the city for almost a year. Those reporters never talked about that. I still get panic attcks when the lights go out. I spent ten grant on a generator for my house so I would never be without power again. She stepped through the open gate. I guess we all have some scars after that debacle, but life goes on..."
~~~
The Ghosts of Rue Demaine
By Alexandrea Weis
It happened on Halloween night... Did you know that could happen? I didn't... Of course, it came with a cost... Somebody died...
Danica Giles had come home. Mainly to get away from her abusive ex-husband--she had finally been brave enough to divorce him. But now she was seeking safety, a need to be home. Coming back to The French Quarter was a no-brainer and she had even been lucky enough to find "the unassuming Creole cottage" where she had once lived. It was a single floor building with yellow stucco and green shutters. Even though there had been ten different families living in the cottage since they had left, she was still...hoping... |
| "Danica felt her heart rise into her throat. They saw him, too! "Pat turned to her. "You saw the same man?" "Danica rubbed her hands nervously together. Every night after I went to bed. I would see a man standing in the doorway of my room. He was a tall black shadow and sometimes I could see his features sometimes I couldn't; but he was never mean or scary. I always got the impression he was standing guard over me." "The tenants I talked to had a different experience completely." Pat stepped inside the cottage doorway. I personally believe half the people old man Caruso rented to were pretty much out of their minds to begin with, so I never paid too much attention to their ramblings. I don't give much credence to ghost stories..." ~~~ |
As Pat was showing her around her old home which was fortunately not rented at this time, indicating that Carl Wethers lived in the carriage house and looked scary but was very friendly, Danica learned something new about the place...
Where a pool had been, it was now gone. They had discovered during renovations that there were graves under the pool! A woman and three children. At that time, they just built the pool...Now they were required to tell potential renters due to new disclosure requirements.
Danica realized the significance immediately. In passing she was willing to admit to Pat that when she was small, she had thought she had seen ghosts... But it was probably her imagination...
Pat acknowledged that this was another disclosure she was forced to share--many other people had indicated that there were ghosts in a number of the cottages... Many described a tall man with dark, angry eyes who would wake them up every night, standing at the foot of their bed!
Some of you may remember a movie that was first made in 1947, The Ghost of Mrs. Muir, and others will better remember the remake with Hope Lange and her handsome ghost...
So, if you enjoyed that movie, I think this is a must-read for you... One of the differences Weis presents is that the female star knows the ghost as a child. She felt he was watching her, keeping her safe. So, now she needed somebody after her abusive husband was out of her life. She had been strong enough to leave him, but now the trauma was setting in...
And he was there for her...
"I missed this old place," she whispered.
"A sudden rush of cold air moving down the hallway caused Danica to turn away from the bedroom door and peer into the darkness behind her. She took a few steps further down the hall until the aroma of cigar smoke mixed with a hint of brandy wafted in the air around her. Danica remembered that smell. It had always filled her bedroom whenever the dark man would appear.
"Is it you?" she softly called into the hallway. "It's me, Danica. I've come back. Just like I said I would.
"Danica walked brisky past the entrance to the master bath to the final door at the end of the hall. Without hesitation, she pushed the cypress door open and walked inside the master bedroom. The light from the large picture window overlooking the courtyard shone into the room, accentuating the deep burgundy color of the carpet beneath her feet. She stepped into the center of the room and observed the ceiling fan above. Danica waited, straining with every breath to hear the slightest stirring.
"Welcome home," a man's wispy voice resonated around her.
"A hopeful smile curled the edges of Danica's heart-shaped mouth. "Thank you Gaston. It's good to be home."
~~~
Just so you don't think this is purely romance...I must warn you that there are two deaths coming, one of which will be out to hurt Danica! Female Ghost? Now that's a vision I had to share with you!
 |
| "Yeah, we didn't get much sleep," he admitted as his arms fell across her sides... He went to her front doors and then mumbled, "My mind must be playing tricks on me." "What tricks? "I could have sworn for a moment I smelled...." He shook his head. You're right. We're book pretty beat."... ~~~ |
And with New Orleans, you'll nearly always have a voodoo woman involved somehow. Fortunately, she has seen what Danica is involved with and offers guidance. Good thing! Because later the suspense gets scary when a ghost turns mean and nasty!
So, what happened on Halloween? That's called a tease... If it got your attention, this just might be a must-read for you... But remember, there's a death involved! Is it Danica? Or did she choose the new man in her life? This novel combines the love between a human and ghost as did The Ghost and Mrs. Muir, but it just takes off from there into a scary tale that you probably should not read at night... Unless you love ghost stories, like I do...! Check this one out and Enjoy!
GABixlerReviews
website: http://alexandreaweis.com
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