Chapter Nine
The group stood in shock, wondering what to do.
"It looks like your plan has failed," Garth said with a smirk.
"Not yet!" Rick replied. He grabbed Garth and led him back into the main hall where he forced him to sit on the floor.
Rick commanded, "Change of plan. Let's call for help. Check your cell phones."
Each of them tried to get a signal while Rick guarded Garth.
"I can't get anything!" Dave exclaimed, "Maybe I can get a signal outside."
He left the group, and Ava said to the girls, "There might be a phone in the library. Let's look!"
The girls ran to the library and found a phone sitting on the desk. Ava picked it up.
"It's working!" she cried, and dialed 9-1-1.
Emma said, "I just hope they don't think this is another Halloween prank!"
When Ava heard the operator's voice, she told them that they had an injured woman who needed immediate medical help, and needed the police to come because there had been a kidnapping attempt. The operator asked Ava many questions and finally told her that because of the storm, it would be at least an hour before anyone could rescue them.
"Tell them to come into the cave entrance. It's open. Just follow the steps up into the castle."
"Help will arrive as soon as possible," the operator assured her.
Ava thanked him and hung up. They next went to check on Hannah, who was still breathing but unconscious.
In the main hall Brittany was shivering on a chair near the fireplace, trying to get warm. Emma found a wool throw in the parlor and wrapped it around her.
"I'll make you something hot to drink," Emma said, "Dave, can you help me find the kitchen?"
He nodded and joined her in the search.
Ava and Kacey told the guys that help was on the way, and that Hannah was still unconscious. Josh asked Ava to show him where she was in case she regained consciousness. After they left, Kacey asked Brittany if she was all right.
"I guess so," Brittany said, her voice still shaking.
"Did anyone harm you?" Kacey asked.
Brittany began to sob, "No," she shook her head, "But they threatened to!" she cried. Kacey held her close as Brittany sobbed on her shoulder. Then she continued.
"And Hannah....she was in with him! When the police called, they forced me to go up into that empty tower room! They tied me up and said that if you didn't bring them the documents they would sell me! I'd never see my home again, or my family-" she finished, and broke down again into sobs.
"Shh, it's all over now," Kacey said in dulcet tones, "You're going to be all right."
Brittany cried for a while longer. When she regained control, she asked,
"How did you find me? How did you even know I was here?"
Kacey smiled, "We searched everywhere for you. But I believe it was God who showed me the secret door that led us to you."
Brittany stared at Kacey a long time, and finally said, "Yeah, it must've been some kind of miracle."
Kacey asked, "Why did Hannah dress up as the ghost of Abigail Simms?"
"Oh, because she told Garth that she would scare you off if you tried to find me. I thought she was my friend," Brittany said with a broken heart, "I thought I could trust her!"
"She was working with Garth all along," Kacey concluded, and Brittany nodded in agreement.
"She betrayed me!" Brittany said, tears streaming down her face.
Kacey hugged her again and said, "When we get out of here, come back to Aunt Mary's house with me. We'll take care of you until you're feeling better."
"Kacey?" Brittany asked, sniffing and wiping her red, puffy eyes.
"Yeah?"
"I'm so sorry I said those mean things to you before. I- I thought you were just jealous or something. But I was wrong. Can you forgive me?"
Kacey smiled, "There's nothing to forgive. You were misled by Garth and Hannah. They deceived you, and you didn't know that they were only out to get what they could from you. I'm your friend, Brittany. And Emma and Ava and I will always be your friends, no matter what you do."
They hugged again and Brittany thanked her.
Emma and Dave returned with a tray of hot tea for everyone. They had also found a package of cookies in the pantry and served them to the group.
Josh and Ava returned and announced that Hannah was still alive. They had wrapped her in a blanket to keep her warm, but she was still unconscious.
Ava said, "Hey, while we're waiting for help to arrive, who wants to take a look at the séance room with me?"
Both Kacey and Joshua wanted to see it, and Kacey asked Brittany if she was feeling well enough to go with them. She agreed.
When they found the séance room, it looked much different than before once the lights were on. It looked like an ordinary room with a big round table and chairs all around it. The first thing that Ava did was to crouch down and lift up the table cloth.
"I've wanted to have a look under here ever since the séance," she said, "Uh-huh. Just as I thought. Take a look at this!"
Kacey and Josh were the first to look, and Joshua exclaimed, "What the heck is all this?"
"The mechanisms for all the special effects," Ava said, "See? There are three foot switches where Garth sat so he could operate them with his feet. This one," she said as she pushed the switch, "Controls the fan. Smell the lilies?"
Joshua said, "Yeah, the fan is over there in the corner, and there's an air freshener attached to it!"
Ava pushed another switch, "And this one makes the bell ring."
They could hear the bell clang softly on the table although no one was touching it.
"It's just a simple interrupter-type electric bell," Joshua said, "It has an electrical circuit that makes the clapper move when you push the switch."
"And the last switch," Ava said, pressing it, "Is to turn the lights on and off."
They stood up and watched as Ava made the lights go on and off. When they were on, they saw how the rotating fan made the pages of the open book turn each time the fan turned.
Kacey looked at Brittany, who was frowning. She shook her head in disbelief and asked,
"It was just all fake, wasn't it?"
"I'm afraid so, Brittany. Garth has no real magical powers. No one does."
Brittany sighed heavily.
"I've been such a fool."
Kacey gave her an understanding smile, "But not anymore because now you know the truth."
She nodded, "Yeah, thanks to you guys. All of you."
They were relieved that she finally saw Garth for what he was.
"Come on, let's go back to the others," Joshua suggested.
The group waited in silence, listening to the sound of the wind and rain battering against the windows. After half an hour, the storm seemed to decrease in strength.
Suddenly, they heard a loud roaring sound outside. A bright light shined through an upper window, but there was no thunder.
"Dave, go see what's out there!" Rick called. Dave nodded and ran out of the room. In a few minutes, he returned.
"It's a medical rescue helicopter! They're bringing in a stretcher!"
When the medical team came in, Ava and Emma led them to where Hannah lay. Soon, two police officers came in wearing rain slickers. One was Chief Baker, and the other was Officer Benson.
"What have we here?" Chief Baker asked as he looked at Garth Simms, still held captive.
"He tried to kidnap Brittany," Rick explained, "You can ask her yourself."
The Chief looked around and saw a sad, young woman sitting by the fire.
"Are you Brittany Cooper?" he asked.
She nodded.
He moved closer and asked, "First, are you all right? Do you need medical attention?"
She shook her head, "No. But he tied me up and locked me upstairs."
Kacey said, "When we found her, she was still tied and gagged. She was terrified."
The Chief sighed, "Well, it looks like I'd
better get the whole story."
He sat down on the hearth and asked Brittany to tell him what happened from the beginning. Over the next ten minutes, Brittany and the girls filled in all the details of the kidnapping and how Hannah was involved.
When they finished, the Chief nodded in satisfaction and told Officer Benson to take custody of the prisoner.
"A police launch is on its way. As soon as it gets here, we'll take you all back to the station so you can make a formal statement. Then you can all go home."
Brittany and Kacey hugged, grateful that the ordeal was almost over.
The officers placed Garth in handcuffs to lead him away, but Kacey asked them to wait. Facing Garth, she looked into his dark eyes and said, "It looks like you were right at the séance after all. The truth will be known. Well, we all know the truth now, don't we?"
Garth scowled and turned away in anger.