The Ghosts of Aquinnah Read Online Free PDF Page B

I’ve always thought those things were cheesy myself,” the man said.
    Hannah couldn't help but laugh at his undeniably Vineyard attitude. “I don’t disagree,” she said.
    “ Why are you asking?”
    “ I saw a woman up here recently that looked like she was wearing clothes from the 1800s. I thought she might be part of a reenactment troupe.”
    “ If she was I’ve never heard anything about it. And I’m here almost every day now that we’re gearing up for the summer.”
    “ Have you seen anyone dressed strangely? This woman was small, tiny, really, and she was wearing a long dress and a bonnet. She had a big shawl or cape around her shoulders.”
    The man shook his head again. “I haven’t seen anyone dressed like that. But maybe the woman you saw is a Mennonite. Or she’s an Amish person?”
    Hannah had wondered the same thing. But somehow she knew that wasn’t the answer.
    “ She was walking up to the overlook in the dark,” she said, trying another tact. “Have you had any nighttime events lately?”
    “ Nothing but the usual sunset activities. Everyone pretty much disappears as soon as it’s dark up here.”
    Hannah could tell the man was starting to regard her with suspicion.
    “ When did you say you saw this woman again?” he asked.
    “ Oh, just the other night. I was hanging around after the sunset. Sometimes I like it up here in the dark.”
    She knew now the man was no longer just suspicious, he almost certainly thought she was crazy. No one would like being at the cliffs in the dark of night.
    “ I don’t know what to tell you,” he said, shrugging his shoulders. “Why are you trying to find this woman, anyway?”
    “ I’m just wondering if she’s okay. She looked upset when I saw her, like something was wrong.”
    “ Why didn’t you just ask her yourself?”
    Hannah knew the man would find her insane for sure if she admitted to only seeing the woman over a webcam.
    “ I just lost track of her in the dark. You know how it gets up here, especially when it’s foggy. But I’m sure it was nothing.” She flashed her best smile and reached forward to take one of the brochures off the table. “I’m sorry to bother you, thanks for your time.”
    “ Not a problem. You sure you don’t want a tour? The view from the top of the lighthouse is amazing to see.”
    “ No thanks. I’ve already been up there lots of times. And you’re right, it is amazing.”
    Hannah ducked out of the lighthouse and walked quickly back towards the road. She could almost hear Jon’s mocking voice in her head. What exactly did she hope to achieve by this foolish quest? Did she want to make people think she was crazy?
    The crowd at the overlook had grown as the sun moved closer to disappearing into the sea, and the sky had become a tapestry of purples and pinks surrounding the orange glow of the sun. Hannah climbed the stairs, her eyes purposely avoiding the webcam looking down at her, and bought a cup of coffee to go with the granola bar she had taken from her bag before leaving the Hammett House. Taking a seat on a nearby picnic bench, she noticed a man and woman holding hands as they walked towards the overlook. The man carried a young girl on his shoulders, and she rested her chin on his head. Hannah swallowed a lump in her throat and looked away as she sipped her coffee.
    The granola bar and coffee were both long gone by the time the sun finished its slow descent and the crowds left the overlook and returned to their cars. Hannah remained at her table, determined to wait and see the mystery woman when she returned to the cliffs. Hannah knew she would return. She could feel it.
    But she was wrong. The workers at the various restaurants and shops closed up and left for the night, and Hannah saw the young man at the lighthouse return to his car and do the same. The overlook was now silent except for the waves crashing to the shore beneath her.
    She pulled her trench coat tighter around her as she shivered