Fic: Mr. & Mrs. John Moore (aka Miss Sara Howard Moore) VII: The Haunted House (3/8)
Title: Mr. & Mrs. John Moore (aka Sara Howard Moore) VII: The Haunted House (3/8)
Author: BradyGirl_12
Pairings/Characters (this chapter): John/Sara, M. Christmas
Fandom: The Alienist (2018)/The Alienist: Angel Of Darkness (2020)
Genres: Drama, Holiday, Horror, Mystery, Suspense
Rating (this chapter): PG-13
Warnings (this chapter): Use of the word ‘Gypsy’; Mention of suicide
Spoilers: None
General Summary: Sara and John investigate a haunted house on Halloween.
Chapter Summary: While enjoying lunch in town, Sara and John learn about the history of Pine Grove.
Date Of Completion: May 27, 2020
Date Of Posting: October 23, 2020
Disclaimer: I don’t own ‘em, TNT does, more’s the pity.
Word Count (this chapter): 862
Feedback welcome and appreciated.
Author’s Note: All chapters of this installment of the series can be found here.
III
THE GREEN ONION
History tells us
That curses are
Abundant,
But not
Forever.
Alexander Wickersham
“Ancient Ways”
1879 C.E.
“So, what now, Madame Detective?” John asked.
Sara considered. “We should search the grounds.” She looked out the kitchen window. “There’s a stable and some other outbuildings.” John’s stomach growled. “Oh, dear, time to feed the hubby?”
“We should have brought a picnic basket.” John looked hopeful. “Maybe go to town for some lunch?”
Sara laughed. “All right, we can search the grounds when we get back.”
John smiled eagerly. “Let’s go.”
As Sara followed John out of the house, she admitted to herself that she would not mind getting out of here for awhile.
They took the carriage into the town of Cloverdale. It was a charming New York state village, with Victorian-style houses, a town square containing a statue of a Union soldier with a list of honored dead on a bronze plaque affixed to the base, and a thriving Main Street with plenty of businesses and shoppers. Some of the businesses had decorated modestly for Halloween. One of those businesses, The Green Onion Café, was serving lunch, so the Moores entered the green-and-white building to the jingle of tiny bells over the door.
“Welcome, folks,” said a perky young blond woman in a uniform of green dress and white apron and cap. “Take a seat anywhere. I’ll be with you in a minute.”
There were pumpkins on the counter and cut-outs of Witches and ghosts decorating the walls. John and Sara chose a table by the window and studied the menu listed on the chalkboard on the wall behind the counter. The waitress came over and asked, “Would you like coffee or tea? We also have lemonade and Coca-Cola.”
“Tea, please,” said Sara.
“I’ll have the Coke,” said John.
“All right. May I recommend the chicken salad today? We serve it on freshly-baked bread with a dill pickle on the side.”
“Sounds good,” John said.
“Make it two,” added Sara.
“Coming right up.” The waitress went into the kitchen.
“Wonder why it’s called The Green Onion?” John asked.
“Have to call it something.”
He looked out the window. “Ellie and Edwin must have let their imaginations go wild. The house is old and musty, but I don’t see it as a spook show.”
“Of course not. The poor girl is easily suggestible, though I wouldn’t diagnose her as hysterical.”
“Edwin, too.”
“Well, that’s so.” Sara removed her gloves.
“This is an easy case for you.”
“I told Ellie she was wasting her money.”
“Her money to waste.”
The waitress arrived with their food and drinks. “Enjoy.”
“Thank you, Miss…” said John.
“Merry Christmas.”
“Huh?”
“That’s my name. My family name is Christmas, first name Merry.”
“Oh.” John looked amused. “What’s a girl named Merry Christmas working in a place called The Green Onion Café? Shouldn’t it be called The North Pole or something?”
“I’m saving up to open my own place, and it will be called Santa's Workshop.”
“That’s wonderful,” Sara said. “Always fine to see a female business owner.”
“Well, I still have a way to go. Funds, you know.”
“Well, Miss Christmas, I know of an organization that aids ambitious female entrepreneurs. Contact Miss Ames.” Sara handed Merry a card.
“Why, thank you, Miss.” Merry eagerly took the card.
“Merry, do you know the history of the Biggsby Mansion? We’ve heard so much about it,” said John.
“Pine Grove? You’d best stay away from there.”
“Why?”
“If you’ve heard about it, you know it’s haunted.”
“Everybody thinks so?” Sara asked.
“Oh, yes.”
“What’s the story?”
“Oh, they say the family was cursed, about a hundred years ago. The original house burned down so they rebuilt.”
“What’s the curse?” John asked.
“Well, some old woman cursed Jedediah Biggsby to have misfortune for leading the charge of the good folk of Cloverdale against her.”
“Why was there a charge?”
“She was a Gypsy, telling fortunes and stuff, and Jedediah stirred people up against her.”
“If she was a Gypsy, I can see the curse.” John sipped his Coke.
“’Misfortune’ covers a lot,” said Sara.
“Up until then the family had been pretty lucky. Then things started happening.”
“Like what?” John asked.
Merry glanced around. The café was empty. “Jedediah’s youngest son Darrow drowned in a boating accident, and then his sister Emily…she committed suicide by hanging herself from an oak tree in the backyard. The old man lost a large portion of his fortune in bad investments, and then he lost two more sons in the War.”
“Goodness,” Sara said.
“More like evil,” said Merry sadly. “The bad luck continued with his descendants. The last owner, Titus Biggsby, died of a mysterious ailment just recently. We don’t know who inherited the house.”
“Thank you, Merry,” John said, and she went back to her kitchen.
“Well,” Sara said, taking a bite of her pickle.
“Yes.” John picked up his sandwich. “No shortage of ghosts in that family.” He took a bite. “Ah.”
“Ah, what?”
“I know where the green onions are.”
Sara took a bite of her sandwich. “Goes well with chicken salad.”
John smiled.
In the distance, thunder rumbled.
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