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“Beautiful handwriting,” he murmured as he looked at the faded lines of careful penmanship on yellowed paper. The entries started several months before Dorothea’s death, and a quick scan revealed wedding plans, romantic ideas, and a young woman’s complete infatuation with her fiancé.
Simon recognized the echoes of Dorothea’s psychic energy from her rings. “Even if we don’t find what we need to stop the haunting, the rings and diary have too much of Dorothea still connected to them to be locked away without a cleansing.” Just holding the diary made Simon feel like she was standing beside him. “They might not be the only things holding her spirit here, but I sense a very strong tie.”
He kept turning pages until he reached Dorothea’s heartfelt panic over Cecil being drafted, and her words poured out like blood. “I am terrified for his safety,” Simon read aloud. “I have prayed and will pray, but it does not seem like enough. Although I am not Catholic, I visited one of their churches to ask Mother Mary to keep Cecil safe, and I promised to convert if she would just bring him home. God help me, I can’t sleep or eat.”
The words were poignant enough, but Simon still felt the distant echo of Dorothea’s strong emotions wash over him, and he didn’t doubt her sincerity.
“Everyone I talk to tells me to trust God and wait,” he continued reading. “The old women reassure me by telling me that their loved ones returned safe, but I know that not everyone’s did. My parents tell me not to be a goose about it, and to make myself useful rolling bandages or helping raise money. I have done those things, but they give me no rest.”
Simon stopped reading and skimmed ahead, then backed up. “Hmm. Listen to this.” He started to share Dorothea’s words again.
“I will ask God later for forgiveness, but I can’t help myself. I would never be able to forgive it if I didn’t do everything in my power to bring him back safely. I fear losing him more than I fear heaven or hell.
“Now I fear that my time of the month is late by several days. Cecil and I consummated our love before he left, a wedding of heart and body even if not before the law. He will be happy to hear the news, I hope, but I will wait before I send word to him, just to be sure.”
Simon paused, then began reading Dorthea’s words again. “I already feared for Cecil’s safe return, but now that I bear his child, it is even more urgent. I must do everything possible. There is a woman in town said to be a witch. People speak of her in whispers, but they say she is very strong with magic and will perform spells, blessings, and curses for a price.
“I have saved my money, and yesterday I went to see the witch. I told her about Cecil being called overseas and begged her to ensure my wedding day. She took my money, lit some candles, and burned smoke that made me lightheaded. Then she spoke words of a spell. Hearing it made me shiver, like a tingle of lightning. Afterward, she promised me that our plans were bound to the powers of earth and heaven.”
Simon looked up and met Oscar’s gaze. “I think that’s what happened. The witch must have had some real power, but she didn’t know how to cast the spell or did a sloppy job. I’m betting that it tied Dorothea to the location of the wedding rather than to the event itself.”
“Which would explain why she never left the hotel,” Oscar said.
Simon nodded. “There are only a few more entries, mostly about wedding plans, before the journal ends. The notes go almost up to the day of Dorothea’s death.”
“Can you break the spell?” Oscar asked. “There’s no telling what magic the witch used, and everyone involved is long dead.”
Simon took a deep breath as he thought. “I’m a medium and a clairvoyant, not a witch. I’d like to bring in a true bruja so we get this right.”
“I’m fine with that,” Oscar said. “I just want Dorothea to be at peace and have a chance to try to finally make a go of the hotel.”
Simon took pictures of the most important diary pages, then called Gabriella and explained the situation. “I’m texting you some screenshots of the diary, so you’ll see what I mean. I’m hoping you can help reverse the magic and set her free.”
“Simon, dear one, you get yourself into the most interesting situations,” Gabriella said with a laugh. “Of course I’ll help if I can, and from what you’re saying, I believe I’ll be able to make a difference. Give me half an hour to prepare, and I’ll meet you at the hotel.”
Simon relayed her comments to Oscar, who looked relieved. “Thank God. Maybe we can finally make an end of this.”
The two of them chatted to pass the time until Gabriella arrived while the guard remained at the door. By unspoken agreement, they kept the conversation light and steered away from ghosts, hauntings, or the hotel.
They heard a knock at the door, and the guard admitted Gabriella. The bruja stepped inside and made the sign of the cross, muttering a protection under her breath.
“Hm… I can feel the magic, sloppy.” Gabriella sighed. “I understand why she’s not happy. Simon, you were correct about the spell trapping her here.”
“Let’s go to the ballroom,” Oscar suggested. “That seems to be the center of the haunting. Follow me.”
At Oscar’s nod, the guard remained by the door as Simon and the others moved farther inside.
Simon didn’t realize how creepy a silent hotel could be until he was one of only four living beings inside. He took for granted the distant hum of equipment and the muted buzz of conversations and footsteps. Simon had investigated plenty of haunted locations, but the hotel felt different from the other buildings he had scouted.
“In here.” Oscar opened the double doors and turned on the lights, illuminating the large ballroom. Dust motes hung in the air. The tables were bare, but sheets covered the sound equipment.
Lonely. Grieving. Tired. Dorothea’s emotions remained sharp-edged, even after all these years. Simon wondered if she had any idea how long she had been dead, and how many years had passed since tragedy stole her lover away.
Gabriella took a few minutes to make a protective salt circle and chalk sigils on the floor. She lit candles and sprinkled dried herbs into the flames, plants known for dispelling negative energy and easing mourning.
Simon and Oscar stood back and watched as Gabriella walked clockwise around the circle, quietly chanting, and then walked in the other direction, still repeating the words of power.
The temperature in the room fell, going from warm and stuffy to cold enough for Simon to see his breath. Oscar shivered and clasped his arms tight for warmth. Simon stayed attuned to the energy, sensing that Dorothea was listening even if she had refused to make herself visible.
