Incorporeal Witness

Chapter 1

Three days earlier. 

Alex Burns sat on the bench facing the pond, it was her favorite place since she'd gotten to Winter House. Harley McKenna,  the granddaughter of the owner, Miss Devina Grey, Devina, as she wanted to be called, had shown her the spot the first day, sitting with her as the twelve-year-old, with the same white hair as her mother, and strange blue-green eyes rambled on about school and her best friend. They'd sat, just as she was now, feeding bread to the koi fish in the pond. Today she sat alone, Harley was still at school and she wanted to spend some time thinking. Her short black hair ruffled in the light breeze, her green eyes protected by sunglasses from the midday sun, despite her restless nature, she felt relaxed. She'd have to apologize to her partner when she spoke to him, she'd been sure she would not relax, a detective didn't need a vacation, she didn't need a vacation, but she found that she enjoyed the last few days, admittedly after she started spending time with Harley, the girl kept her entertained with the stories of Winter House, she especially liked the one's that were about the ghost, Olivia. Harley was convinced, and she'd found out later, Logan Grey, her mother, was too, that the ghost was real. Harley even said her mother could see the ghost, and sometimes talk to her. Alex didn't believe in those kinds of things, being a homicide detective, seeing death almost every day, she'd never seen a ghost hovering above one of her victims. But still, she enjoyed the tales Harley told. 

She like Devina too, the older lady's blue eyes still sparkled with youth, even though her grey hair spoke of her age. She indulged in every whim Harley had, and one night she even spoke to 'the ghost' after the piano had made a sound in the entryway. She'd laughed and said, that Olivia was at it again. Then turned to the doorway and with a joyful grin asked Olivia if she'd made her rounds of Winter House. Obviously satisfied with the answer, she'd waved her hand in the air and said, "Off you go then, the cottages are waiting." Alex had stood and said goodnight, finding the whole situation too strange to stick around. Sure the people were a bit strange, but she enjoyed her days and slept like a baby at night. Whatever the ghost did at night, it sure wasn't haunting her. 

Then there was Logan. Her blue eyes were piercing and every time she looked at Alex, Alex was sure she could see all the way into her soul. Logan was a very sexy woman, the way she didn't even seem to know, made her all the more attractive to Alex. But in the few days, she'd been here, she'd never seen or heard a thing about a boyfriend or husband. She was obviously a devoted mom and loved Harley a lot. She was always around, when Alex wanted or looked for something, it was as if Logan knew and just appeared with whatever Alex needed. As far as Alex could see she ran most of the day-to-day of Winter House, and the cottages, she even made the food, for those who chose the bed and breakfast option. Alex was glad she was one of those because the food was divine. 

In the four days, she'd spent at Winter House already, she'd seen and heard a lot of talk about Olivia, but also about Logan and Devina. Everyone around town referred to them as the witches on the hill. Not in a bad way, as no one had a bad thing to say about the women. They were well-liked all over the small town of Hollow Maple. Alex chuckled as she remembered the first day she'd gotten into town and stopped at the Ice cream parlor, she'd asked the lady there, Anickha, if the town was named so because of an actual hollow tree. The woman had laughed at her and said no. Alex realized the woman never really told her where the name came from and made a mental note to ask Harley, she'd know. Alex had stopped at the little gift store too, wanting to get that part out of the way, so she could just enjoy the rest of her downtime. She'd gotten Joe, her partner, a small carved deer to add to his collection. The rest of her team all got mugs with the Hollow Maple town logo. There was no way she was spending agonizing hours trying to figure out what they all liked. 

Alex threw the last piece of bread into the pond and watched as dozens of mouths tried to grab it. She smiled to herself and stood. She'd make her way back to the house slowly, and hope that Logan was making some more of the peanut butter cookies. She missed the fast pace of her city life, she did, she missed her team and their banter. She had to be honest, she missed the job too, even though that came with a dead person. But she wasn't bored. Maybe Joe was right, maybe this time away, and letting the dust settle after the shooting, was just what she needed. She touched the still tender spot on her hip and winced. She had to change the dressing soon, at least the stupid wound seemed to be healing. She sniffed the air as she neared the house and grinned. She smelled peanut butter cookies! She quickened her steps and made her way inside. 

Logan stood at the oven, she was taking the baking tray out and set it down on the kitchen counter. She smiled at Alex when she heard the kitchen door creak open. Alex grinned back and reached for one of the cookies on the cooling racks. At the last minute, she seemed to realize what she was doing and pulled her hand back. 

"I'm sorry, jeez, I seemed to have left my manners in the city." She grinned at Logan. "May I?"

"Yes of course," Logan said with an indulgent smile. "They are for the guests."

"I like to think they are just for me, I love them. I would ask for the recipe, but what I know about baking is dangerous." She took a bite out of the cookie and groaned. "Delicious." She sat and watched Logan pack some more onto the baking tray, then slide it back in the oven. "What time does Harley get home today?"

"Around two, on Wednesdays, she has music class after school."

"Oh, what instrument?" 

"Piano, my mom teaches her here, but she enjoys it so much we let her do as much of it as she wants." Logan poured them both a glass of milk and after loading a small plate with more cookies sat across from Alex. "You two seemed to have hit it off."

"She's a great kid, and she says she wants to be a cop one day, she said she rides with the local sheriff some days."

"Yes, her dad was a cop here in town, he was shot on duty one night, he died on the scene. I'd hoped she'd grow out of that, but every chance she gets she's with Harper, our sheriff."

"I'm sorry to hear about your husband." She bit into another cookie. "But sometimes, the cop just runs in the blood."

"We weren't married, but thanks. Yes, I guess it does." She took a cookie herself but didn't eat it. "Could you maybe tell her some horror stories, not like gruesome things, just some scary things maybe?"Logan shifted uncomfortably. "I know you don't know me, and I don't know you, so you don't owe me anything, but I don't want my daughter to follow in her father's footsteps.." The last part was said in a rush. 

"Look, I can do that, I don't mind. But can I be honest?" When Logan nodded, she went on. "I'm not going to lie to you, the job is hard, and we face dangerous s**t, sorry, situations, all the time. But you, and other civilians, sleep better with us out there. We need more people like her, good, solid people, make good, solid cops."

"I know, and I am grateful for what you and others do. I just don't want it to be Harley facing down a man with a gun."

"Okay, I get that. I'll talk to her, but I can't promise anything. She's a strong-willed kid, as you know." Logan let out a laugh, and Alex grinned at her. 

"Don't I know that. Thank you." Logan stood again and after filling the plate for Alex again, went back to her baking in silence. Alex sat and watched her for another minute or so then stood with her cookies and walked to the front porch. She sat down and watched Devina work in her garden, all the while talking to herself.